The Dept. of Workforce Development and Advancement was established in 2023 (HB 2195 and SB 1470) to create, sustain and retain a highly skilled workforce and is also branded as Virginia Works. This legislation consolidated all workforce development programs under one agency in order to provide better services and training, quantitatively measure programs for better evaluation, increase data sharing, and create jobs within the Commonwealth. The new Dept. includes workforce development programs previously under the Dept. for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Dept. for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Dept. of Corrections, Dept. of Education, Dept. of Juvenile Justice, Dept. of Labor and Industry, Dept. of Social Services, Dept. of Veterans Services, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, Virginia Community College System, Virginia Employment Commmission, The department is tasked with promulgating regulations; creating a unified system of workforce development in the Commonwealth; coordinating workforce development programs; and collecting and analyzing data. programs under the VirginiaThe department is also responsible for the Virginia State Jobs Service, Veterans Skills Database, employment stabilization, Interagency Migrant Worker Policy Committee, and the Virginia Workforce System.

The Director of the Dept. serves on the Apprenticeship Council which is responsible for establishing standards for apprenticeship agreements, coordinating and establishing policies for apprenticeship related instruction delivered by state and local public education agencies.

The Dept. manages the Virginia Workforce Data Trust and works with the following agencies to collect data: Virginia Employment Commission (Unemployment Insurance); Virginia Community College System (Postsecondary Career and Technical Education); Dept. for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (Vocational Rehabilitation and Senior Community Services Employment Program); Dept. for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Vocational Rehabilitation); Dept. of Social Services (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Virginia Initiative for Education and Work); Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority(Virginia Jobs Investment Program); Dept. of Juvenile Justice (Youth Industries and Institutional Work Programs, Career and Technical Education Programs); Dept. of Corrections (Career and Technical Education Programs); State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (Certifications, certificates and degrees); and the Dept. of Veterans Services (Virginia Values Veterans), among others.

Governor Glen Youngkin appointed Carrie Roth as the first Commissioner of the Dept. of Workforce Development and Advancement in September 2023. She formerly served as Commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission. Roth resigned in September 2024 and Nicole Overby, Deputy Secretary of Labor and Workforce, was appointed as Commissioner.