We are delighted to announce that Working Fields received the Workforce Innovation Award from the Lake Champlain Chamber at their 111th Annual Dinner on March 16th, 2022. Our CEO and founder Mickey Wiles, pictured here with Vermont business and legislative leaders, was honored to accept the award and share our story. 

The Workforce Innovation Award celebrates a company that has implemented unique workforce development solutions, including achievements in diversity and inclusion, employee retention, and collaboration. As a mission-driven staffing agency, those ideals are deeply tied to what we do: enable local employers to hire and retain people with barriers to employment. These barriers include substance use disorder, past incarceration, lack of transportation, and much more.

We are extremely grateful to the Lake Champlain Chamber for recognizing the impact of our work over the past five years. By creating a unique staffing model that includes recovery coaching and other hands-on support, we have helped over 1,700 associates find stable employment. Our network now includes over 70 employers and 200 community partnerships, all dedicated to providing support and acceptance. With over 75% of our own team in recovery or from a background of incarceration, and too many success stories to count, we know that this approach works.

As Mickey pointed out when accepting the award, this wonderful achievement is only possible because of the innovative, dedicated, hardworking people that make up the Working Fields team. Our staff, drivers, coaches, and associates have forged a new way to work, together. 

The Workforce Innovation Award now sits in our Burlington conference room, where it serves as a reminder to current staff and new associates alike of what we can achieve when we support each other.