Building Madera’s Workforce, Together

The Workforce Development Board serves as your source for all training and development resources to ensure that Madera County remains a growing and prosperous community.

The Workforce Development Board of Madera County is excited to announce that the 2026 Madera County Job Fair, held on April 23 at the Madera Fairgrounds, was a success. The event brought together a strong turnout of job seekers and employers, creating valuable opportunities for employment, networking, and career growth within our community.

We welcomed more than 54 employers representing a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, education, and government agencies. Over 635 job seekers attended the event to explore new job opportunities and career pathways.

Attendees also received new promotional items featuring the Workforce Development Board of Madera County’s updated rebrand logo, helping showcase the organization’s refreshed identity and continued commitment to serving the community.

JAMES IRVINE BETTER CAREERS RETREAT

The James Irvine Better Careers Retreat was held on April 14, 2026, in the City of Madera, bringing together partners to learn more about how the local public workforce system operates.

Madera County was selected by the James Irvine Foundation team to host their retreat. During their visit, the team met with staff, toured Madera County Workforce Assistance Center, the new mobile unit, and visited the Mini-America's Job Center of California located at the Justice Center.

The retreat provided an opportunity to highlight local workforce initiatives, innovative service delivery models, and collaborative efforts supporting job seekers and employers throughout Madera County.

ECONOMIC SUMMIT 2026

The Madera County Economic Development Commission held the Economic Summit on April 30, 2026, at San Joaquin Winery. Business leaders came together to talk about how land is being used across California and to look for ways Madera County can grow.

Discussions focused on topics such as permitting processes, infrastructure needs including roads and utilities, and land use regulations for Madera County. The panel also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the private sector and government agencies to support sustainable economic growth. Also, highlighted Madera County’s strong potential for future business development and its continued readiness for expansion and investment.

WORKCON 2026

The Madera Workforce Development Board held a workshop at WorkCon 2026 in Irvine, California, to talk about the school bus driver shortage happening across the country. The session showed how Madera County Workforce, Madera Unified School District and Advanced Career Institute worked together to create a training program that helps find and prepare new bus drivers for the future.

The workshop showcased innovative workforce solutions and emphasized the importance of partnerships between education and workforce organizations in meeting critical industry needs.

RAPID RESPONSE ORIENTATIONS

Following the layoff of 212 employees at Mission Bell Winery, the Business Services Division coordinated three Rapid Response orientation events at the Workforce Assistance Center to provide immediate support.

Partners provided information and guidance to assist affected employees with accessing unemployment insurance, re-employment opportunities, training services, and other support benefits available through the workforce system.

Rapid Response efforts aim to ensure that impacted workers receive timely information and direct connections to services that support rapid re-employment and career transition.

For re-employment opportunities,

contact Jorge by phone at (559) 662-4540 or via email at jespinosa@maderaworkforce.org

If you are interested in interviewing the candidates,

please contact Jorge by phone at (559) 662-4540

or via email at jespinosa@maderaworkforce.org

HR Virtual Webinar Recordings

The Workforce Development Board of Madera County and the California Employers Association have partnered to provide HR webinars at NO-COST. 

To date, we have provided webinars on the following topics:

Attitude Makes a Difference

What's Unique in California

Difficult Conversations & De-Escalation Techniques

2026 Labor Law Update

Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors

Harassment Prevention Training for Employees

Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace

Form I-9 and E-Verify

Ethics in HR & Management

Mid-Year Labor Law Update

These webinars are presented in local partnership with:

Chowchilla District Chamber of Commerce

Golden Valley Chamber of Commerce

Madera Chamber of Commerce

Madera Economic Development Commission

Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce

Valley Community Small Business Development Center

For those that may have missed a webinar training, just "CLICK" the link below to view all past webinars hosted.

The unemployment rate in the Fresno MSA was 9.1% percent in February 2026, above the year-ago estimate of 8.9%. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.5% for California and 4.7% for the nation during the same period. The unemployment rate was 9.1% in Fresno County and 8.6% in Madera County.

Understanding California’s Labor Market

California’s labor market is continuing to evolve, with growth in key industry sectors like healthcare and continued growth in inland regions such as the Central Valley. While the state is navigating shifts in job growth, wages, and workforce participation, there are meaningful opportunities to expand career pathways, strengthen training efforts, and support long-term economic mobility for workers across California.

From-To

• Disaster Assistance

• Revolving Loans

• Tools For Business

• And Many More Resources...

Madera County E.D.C has a significant number of beneficial resources you can learn and grow from.

From-To

• Water Conservation for Agriculture

• Soil Health Enhancement

• Wildfire Risk Reduction

• And Many More Resources...

The Sierra Resource Conservation District (SRCD) is dedicated to facilitating natural resource conservation within eastern Fresno County, California, by integrating and delivering essential technical, financial, and educational resources to local landowners.