SBWIB

What SBWIB does

Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board (SOWIB), operating as SBWIB, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce investment board designated under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to serve Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties in southwestern Oregon. The organization delivers a portfolio of workforce development services including registered apprenticeship programs (Medical Assistant via Allied Health West JATC, Surgical Technologist via Health STAR, and Early Childhood Education in partnership with SWOCC and Umpqua Community College), youth employment initiatives (Recruit HIPPO and the Oregon Youth Employment Program), and adult services (Incumbent Worker Training, Dislocated Worker Services, Rapid Response, Workforce Benefits Navigation, and Traditional Health Worker programs). SBWIB also publishes monthly economic indicators reports covering labor market trends across its service area.

The organization's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: primary funding flows from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission's Office of Workforce Investments, supplemented by a $3.4 million American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded in August 2022 to develop the Driving Prosperity transportation workforce training program. SBWIB operates as part of the American Job Center (AJC) national network, delivering services through physical offices in Coos Bay and Roseburg, school-based youth programs, and community partnerships. Services are provided at no charge to job seeker candidates, with apprenticeship training costs covered by employer partners.

SBWIB serves a dual customer base: job seekers (including dislocated workers, incumbent workers, and in-school youth ages 16-24) and local employers seeking skilled workforce pipelines. The organization does not sell a technology product and has no proprietary software or platform; its technology footprint is limited to a Wix-hosted website and standard social media channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) for outreach. Operations are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and staffed by 11-50 employees.

Name

SBWIB

Legal name

Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board

Website

https://sowib.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SBWIB is a 501(c)(3) workforce investment board delivering registered apprenticeship programs, youth employment services, and adult workforce training across southwestern Oregon's Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties, funded primarily by federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

Keywords

• Workforce development
• Apprenticeship programs
• Job training services
• Career coaching
• Youth employment

Headquarters

HQ city

Coos Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: SOWIB is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor and the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission's Office of Workforce Investments. Additional funding received from U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) through American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SBWIB (Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board) operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce investment board providing workforce development programs, registered apprenticeship pathways, youth employment services, career coaching, and economic indicators reporting. The organization connects job seekers with local employers across Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties, offering registered apprenticeships in healthcare and early childhood education, incumbent worker training, dislocated worker services, rapid response support, and benefit navigation.

Product overview

SBWIB (Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board) is a workforce development organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of employment and training services. The core offerings include registered apprenticeship programs (Medical Assistant, Surgical Technologist, and Early Childhood Education), youth employment initiatives (Recruit HIPPO and OYEP), and workforce support services (Dislocated Worker Services, Incumbent Worker Training, Rapid Response). Additional services include Economic Indicators reporting, Traditional Health Worker programs, and Workforce Benefits Navigation. These programs serve job seekers and employers across Coos, Curry, and Douglas counties in Southwestern Oregon, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Driving Prosperity: A workforce training program focused on career training and job placement for the trucking industry, funded by the EDA Good Jobs Challenge grant.
• Recruit HIPPO
• Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship
• Medical Assistant Apprenticeship
• Surgical Technologist Apprenticeship

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% first-attempt pass rate on CCMA certification exam
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Job Center (AJC) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOWIB is a proud partner of the American Job Center (AJC) network, providing workforce development services as part of a national network of career centers.
• Allied Health West JATCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program - creates earn and learn pathway leading to nationally-recognized CCMA credential through National Healthcareer Association.
• Health STARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Surgical Technologist apprenticeship program.
• Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege partner for Early Childhood Education apprenticeship - apprentices take coursework at SWOCC or Umpqua Community College (UCC).
• Umpqua Community College (UCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege partner for Early Childhood Education apprenticeship coursework.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rogue Workforce Development Board: Southern Oregon (Jackson, Josephine) WIOA workforce board providing apprenticeships, employer-led training partnerships, and youth employment programs. Peer in geographic proximity, program mix, and federal funding model.
• Clackamas Workforce Partnership: Another Oregon WIOA-designated workforce investment board providing apprenticeship, employment, and training services. Highly comparable governance, funding mix, and program design to SOWIB.
• Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) Workforce: Regional Oregon workforce development entity serving Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, and Wheeler counties. Operates comparable WIOA-funded employment, apprenticeship, and training programs for job seekers and employers.
• Workforce Southwest Washington: A WIOA-designated workforce investment board covering Southwest Washington. Operates a comparable portfolio of apprenticeships, employer partnership programs, and youth employment services funded through DOL and state pass-throughs, making it the closest regional peer to SOWIB.
• Lane Workforce Partnership: Oregon's Lane County-based WIOA workforce board providing apprenticeships, dislocated worker services, incumbent worker training, and youth programs. Directly comparable as a fellow Oregon WIOA-designated WIB serving a single rural-urban region.

Broad incumbents

• Worksystems (Portland metro area): The largest WIOA-designated workforce board in Oregon, serving the Portland metropolitan area. Operates a broader portfolio including high-growth sector partnerships and large-scale apprenticeship programs, making it a scaled incumbent peer.

Others

• National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB): The national membership association of local workforce development boards including WIOA-designated boards. SOWIB would be a member; NAWB represents the ecosystem in which SOWIB operates and provides capacity-building and policy resources.
• American Job Center Network: SOWIB explicitly operates as a proud partner of the AJC network; the AJC network is the national infrastructure of WIOA-funded career service delivery points, providing ecosystem context for SOWIB's service delivery model.

Regional players

• Umpqua Community College Workforce Development: Community college peer in Douglas County delivering workforce training, adult basic education, and apprenticeship-related instruction in the same geographic region served by SOWIB.
• Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) Workforce Development: Regional community college partner providing related workforce training, apprenticeship instruction, and adult education in the same southwestern Oregon geography. Operates as a complementary rather than competing peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Southwestern-Oregon-Workforce-Investment-Board-923459431118817
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sowib
• Instagraminstagram.com/sowibjobs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SBWIB