While extended pandemic-related unemployment benefits expired on Sept. 4, thousands of businesses throughout New Jersey need workers, and the state’s workforce systems partners can help with a range of in-person and virtual career-related services.

One-Stop Career Center offices closed to in-person services in March of 2020, and shifted to a virtual-delivery model, presenting career webinars, virtual information sessions, case management and other services remotely, using digital and telephonic models.

In recent months, many county Workforce Development Boards and One-Stop Career Training Centers have become hybrid operations, with appointment in-person services offered along with the virtual suite of services developed by the partners over the past 18 months.

State-run One-Stop Career Centers are currently operating remotely only, with career-related services available virtually and by telephone. A return date for appointment-only services at the state-run centers has not been set.

Residents of Hunterdon and Somerset counties who need assistance with career-related services can contact the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board and its local system partners. Services include Virtual Information Sessions for companies hiring in the two counties; since the beginning of this year, more than 1,500 individuals have attended 45 sessions, and new events continue to be planned. More information on GRWDB and system partners programs is available on the Events/Calendar tab of www.thegrwdb.org/.

The other free services offered at state and county centers include assistance with job search, resume reviews, career counseling, career-related webinars and workshops, information on training grants for unemployed and underemployed individuals, and connection to career services for low-income residents. Job seekers and underemployed residents are also encouraged to register with SkillUp Greater Raritan. a free online portal with more than 6,000 courses focusing on business, IT and health topics.

New Jersey’s workforce system partners connect employers and job seekers, aiming to create a robust economy for all stakeholders. The partners are working to reach out to all community members about these and many other career services because of the Sept. 4 expiration of extended unemployment benefits. On Sept. 4, the federal American Rescue Plan Act extended unemployment benefits ended, as did the weekly $300 supplemental benefits, impacting some 200,000 New Jerseyans.

New Jersey’s workforce system partners can assist these beneficiaries and other job seekers by connecting them to the thousands of open positions around the region. With competition for open positions tighter than it has been in many years, many industries are offering increased hourly wages and even sign-on bonuses in bids to get and keep workers.

In-person unemployment services that were available at most state One-Stop Career Centers were suspended in March 2020, and they will not return as in-person services resume at the state and county career centers.

All unemployment claimants are asked to file new claims, update existing claims, or ask questions about their claims online at  https://myunemployment.nj.gov. The site also includes details on benefit extension deadlines and other related information.  Claimants can call unemployment services at 732-761-2020. An expanded call center, along with redirected Department of Labor personnel, have increased the capacity for personnel to address callers’ issues and better manage the record number of unemployment claims that were opened since the pandemic began.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development also recently launched Job Source, offering a variety of tools designed to help fuel a successful job search experience. Users can create a free account and get tips and templates for Job Search, Resume Writing, Cover Letters and many other free services.

There are also numerous state and community programs and resources available to those who need additional support. For information on assistance in the areas of family, food, child care, health, substance use disorder, rent, housing, utilities, and specialized services for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of domestic or sexual violence, please visit myunemployment.nj.gov/morehelp.  

Weekly text alerts highlighting career and job opportunities in Somerset and Hunterdon counties are available by texting “onestop” to 565-12. Contact the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board at info@thegrwdb.org or 908-541-5790.

In-person testing for free adult literacy programs serving residents of Hunterdon and Somerset counties has been scheduled for late September and early October. This testing helps determine participants’ skill levels for placement in upcoming fall classes.

The program providers, Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) and the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission (HCECS), are part of the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board’s Literacy Committee, which seeks to share information about and expand the effectiveness of the free literacy programs in the two counties.

Programs are funded by a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act federal grant that provides assistance to adults in gaining the necessary literacy and English skills to participate in workforce training programs and employment.

Raritan Valley Community College

RVCC is offering free literacy and English language skills to help individuals prepare for employment in the in-demand food service industry. Classes will be offered online in the evenings beginning in October.

Classes in the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education Program will focus on skills such as listening, speaking and writing. Class participants who complete the literacy program and complete 10 hours of training in the areas of appreciation, prevention, avoidance and reduction of health hazards and safety in the workplace will be eligible to receive either the ServSafe Food Handler or OSHA 10 certification. These certifications are required by the majority of entry-level restaurant or food service jobs.

Testing has been scheduled at the following times, date and locations:

• 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, Somerset County Administration Building, Human Resources Training Room, third floor, 20 Grove St., Somerville
• 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30,10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 214 Church St., Bound Brook
• 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, RVCC Workforce Training Center, Room 216, Lamington Road, Branchburg

To register for any of these testing sessions, visit https://www.raritanval.edu/literacy. For more information, email Bonnie.Scharf@raritanval.edu or call 908-526-1200, ext. 8686. 

Hunterdon County Education Services Commission

High school equivalency, basic computer skills and English Language acquisition classes are offered by the HCESC at four in-person locations in the two counties.

Testing for daytime English Language Acquisition classes at the following locations will be offered at:

• 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, Thursday, Sept. 23, Tuesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 30 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 300 Union Ave., Somerville

• 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 20, Wednesday, Sept. 22, Monday, Sept. 27 and Wednesday, Sept. 29 at Flemington Adult Literacy Center, 8 Bartles Corner Road, Suite 205, Flemington

Testing for evening English Language Acquisition classes at the following locations will be offered at:

• 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, Wednesday, Oct. 6, Monday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 13 at location  to be determined.
• 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, Wednesday, Sept. 22, Monday, Sept. 27 and Wednesday, Sept. 29 at Flemington Adult Literacy Center, 8 Bartles Corner Road, Suite 205, Flemington.

Testing for evening High School Equivalency preparation and English Language Acquisition classes at Franklin Middle School, 415 Francis St., Somerset, will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, Tuesday, Oct. 5 and Wednesday, Oct. 6.

Testing and orientation for an online English Language Acquisition class will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, and Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Somerset County Administration Building, Human Resources Training Room, third floor, 20 Grove St., Somerville.

For the registration packets and program details, visit www.hunterdonesc.org and click on the links for Adult Programs / English Classes or High School Equivalency. For details in Hunterdon County, email dvoria@hunterdonesc.org or call 908-237-5000. For details in Somerset County, email spettesch@hunterdonesc.org or call 908-541-5781.

Other literacy programs

Volunteers at Hunterdon Helpline provide free literacy services through one-on-one, barrier-free individualized instruction. Email literacy@helplinehc.com or call 908-782-4357.

Volunteers at the Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County provide free English Language Acquisition through free one-on-one tutoring. Email info@literacysomerset.org, call 908-725-5430, or visit LiteracySomerset.org.

In addition, individuals may contact either organization to learn about how to become a program tutor.

The Hunterdon County Library offers a weekly online English Conversation Group. Email tedwards@hclibrary.us or call 908-713-7005.

The HCESC also operates two Workforce Learning Link sites offering adult literacy programs. These programs, offered through the Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center, have virtual and in-person components. Visit www.hunterdonesc.org and click on the Adult Programs/Workforce Learning Link.

Weekly text updates highlight career and job opportunities in Somerset and Hunterdon counties. Text “onestop” to 565-12 to sign up. Additional information on career-development programs offered by the partners of the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board can be found on www.thegrwdb.org.

Through policy, oversight, and planning The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board ensures that workforce training and education are responsive to and meet the needs of employers and job seekers. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, your local workforce system, serving Hunterdon and Somerset counties, has continued to evolve how it provides services and reaches out to the community about those services.

Working with the Somerset County Public Information Office, system partners collaborated on videos to explain our mission, vision and services for employers and job seekers in these ever-changing times.

Go here to hear about our services for employers. Employers also can go to the resources/employers tab on our website for more links and information.

Go here to hear about our services for job seekers. Job seekers also can go to the resources / job seekers tab on our website for more links and information.

Go here to hear about the Youth Employment Services (YES) Program.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board and its partners offer a variety of programs and resources to assist job seekers. This includes the Greater Raritan Resume Portal,  SkillUp Greater Raritan, and a local literacy connection guide. Partners also offer free literacy classes throughout the year.

These pages also have links to the state’s Cov-19 Information Hub page which has a vast amount of information and resources, including for businesses and community members. A COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal also is updated regularly.

Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, in-person services had been stopped and virtual services began in March 2020 by Greater Raritan One-Stop partners. Service procedures are now evolving to reflect the reopening of New Jersey.

The Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Training Service Center at 27 Warren St. in Somerville is open to in-person service; appointments are encouraged but customers who walk in will be accommodated as staffing levels permit. Appointment-only services are available at the Training Center at 6 Gauntt Place in Flemington on Mondays and Tuesdays; walk-in and appointment services are  available Wednesdays to Friday. Staff at the Greater Raritan One-Stop / Employment Service Center at 75 Veterans Memorial Drive in Somerville continue to provide services remotely; a return date for appointment-only services is still to be determined.

As they have been since the onset of the pandemic, staff will continue to assist customers over the phone, via email and through virtual appointments, and an orientation session for new customers is conducted on Fridays. Virtual career-webinars will continue for the immediate future. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 908-541-5780 or email onestop@co.somerset.nj.us for assistance.

The Training Center team also has launched a fun and informative series of videos called P.E.P. (Preparing for Employment Possibilities) Talks. Watch:

• Meet the Team
• What Does Your E-Mail Address Say About You
• Sending Professional E-mails
• Online Resources
• Foundations of Resumes
• ITAs and Tuition Waivers
• Phone Etiquette
• Interview Questions

System services are varied. These includes programs for residents of either county receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, General Assistance or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As part of this program effort, the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board has launched a Chromebook Loaner Program for eligible participants. Partner services also include the Workforce Learning Link to assist with basic literacy and computer skills and high school diploma equivalency work, and the Youth Employment Services Program (YES Program), for out-of-school youth, ages 16 to 24, in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. This program brochure illustrates how a participant  progresses through the YES program.

The Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center at 75 Veterans Memorial Drive in Somerville is not offering in-person service. For the health and safety of staff and customers, services will continue to be offered virtually or by telephone only. For information on career services, call 908-704-3000.

Virtual career services for job seekers also are highlighted on the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s website. The site also includes a section of Worker Benefits, Protections and COVID19; this handy checklist can help as well.

And please note: All unemployment-related services are being done online or through the call centers. Customers who need to file new Unemployment Insurance claims are asked to apply online at https://myunemployment.nj.gov.

Customers unable to access the Internet should call the following numbers: North Jersey, 201-601-4100; Central Jersey, 732-761-2020; Southern Jersey: 856-507-2340. Hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) has begun a Chromebook Loaner Program for some of the career-services customers it serves in Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

The program, begun in mid-April in collaboration with the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, aims to assist residents who may have barriers to accessing virtual resources when they participate in some of the programs supported by the GRWDB.

“We know that the digital divide is real for some of our community members,” said Violet Kocsis, GRWDB Board Chair and Senior Vice President of Corporate Services, CHRO, Hunterdon Healthcare. “That is why the board decided to approve the creation of the loaner program, which is the first of its kind among New Jersey’s Workforce Boards. We hope that the Chromebooks will give our program participants more flexibility and the ability to achieve their career goals.”

The GRWDB oversees federally and state-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. Among those are career resources and training programs for unemployed and underemployed adults, youth ages 16 to 24, and different special populations, including those receiving WorkFirst NJ-funded services.

The GRWDB’s Chromebook Loaner Program is open to eligible residents of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties participating in WorkFirst NJ programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); General Assistance (GA) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).Eligible participants in those programs can use the Chromebooks to assist with virtual workshops, e-learning classes, resume writing, job search, and career coaching.

The GRWDB purchased 20 Chromebooks, along with a mouse and carrying case for each. Five of the 20 can be borrowed with Wi-Fi enabled. Case managers working with clients in one of the WorkFirst NJ programs will determine an individual’s eligibility. Participants sign a loan agreement and pick up a Chromebook at a branch of the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, which created a dashboard to manage the loan and track each piece of equipment and was instrumental in creating and launching the program.

Later this summer, the GRWDB will have a limited number of Chromebooks available at a Hunterdon County Library branch, so eligible Hunterdon customers can more easily access the Chromebooks.

Each Chromebook is available for a four-week loan period, which can be extended if the clients need additional time and there is not a waiting list for other users. Since the program began, three Chromebooks have been loaned and use is anticipated to increase as the numbers of those seeking career-assistance increases.

In anticipation of increased customer need, the GRWDB’s Executive Board recently approved the purchase of an additional 20 Chromebooks for Workfirst NJ program participants. The equipment will be available by late summer.

Fran Leddy, representing Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission (HCESC), the vendor which provides WorkFirst NJ services for the GRWDB, noted that, “In order to prepare individuals for successful employment in the current workforce, we need to consider digital literacy as an essential soft skill. The ability to practice these skills at their own pace and as often as needed is an advantage for all of the individuals we serve with the Chromebook lending project.”

The Chromebooks are just one example of how career services have been transformed because of the COVID pandemic. In recent months HCESC has:

• Created a new, interactive landing page on its website to link program participants with a variety of resources.
• Developed an online curriculum and program featuring live meetings, pre-recorded content and online assignments.
• Created a workshop booklet to provide equitable access for clients who don’t have access to technology.
• Added donated, refurbished laptops to its equipment inventory and made them available for customer use.
• Assisted customers with employment opportunities and paired them with available resources, including SkillUp Greater Raritan, an online learning portal.

“Many of the services we and our partners previously offered in person are, because of the COVID pandemic, being offered through different virtual platforms,” said Paul Grzella, GRWDB Director. “Even as in-person options return in future weeks and months, virtual platforms will continue to be part of our suite of services. The loaner program helps ensure that no one is left out of our career-services programs.”

For more information, and to see if you are eligible for participation in the Chromebook loaner program, call 908-526-8800 ext. 6747 (Somerset County), or 908-237-5000 (Hunterdon County) or visit bit.ly/3l261dK.