JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Production at the Janesville General Motors plant might be ending, but local workforce development officials said the opportunity exists for a new beginning for thousands of out-of-work autoworkers.

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"They often need to have basic skills upgraded, particularly math and communications," said Bob Borremans, executive director of the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board. "Those kinds of services are available here at no cost."

The Rock County Job Center will be able to provide job re-training for workers who need it, including a link to area technical colleges for those who need to begin again with a new career, WISC-TV reported.

Borremans said the skills of GM workers are desirable to other employers who are looking to hire now.

"These people as they go into new jobs will find they have transferrable job skills," he said.

He said in large part what GM workers and those who work for the numerous companies who supply parts to the plant have is a work ethic. Something younger workers with less experience lack, Borremans said.

"They'll come in when they're sick, and when they're tired," he said

The process begins when people come into the center. Their current skill set is evaluated against their desires, and workers at the center try to determine what kind of new skills, if any, they might need.

According to Borremans, there are still manufacturing jobs in the area, and an emerging field is health care. He said that he believes Rock County will move forward and find new opportunities for GM workers, but plenty of opportunities exist close by as well.

"If you look from Rockford to Madison, Janesville is sitting in a good location with two very big job markets," said Borremans.