Camden County Workforce Investment Board Trustees and Friends,
Looking back ….. Moving forward….
A year we will all remember…. I’m sure we all know someone who is in need of a job or someone who doesn’t have the right skills to make a career change, well… This year has been filled with many challenges for the entire country and Camden County has not been immune from this economic hardship. In reviewing a few highlights of 2009, I am reminded that in tough times we all need someone to count on.
In February of 2009, President Obama announced the passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) designed to promote training and employment opportunities for the unprecedented number of unemployed individuals in a time of economic chaos. Due to the severe economic conditions in Camden County, The Resource Center received additional training funds allowing us to enroll approximately 800 customers in vocational training, the largest training enrollment in our history. In doing so, we tripled both our Orientation Workshops and Career Club to capacities. Because of our performance we received the largest Workforce Development Program quarterly allocation in the state. Camden County was awarded approximately $3,380,000 to increase services to three target populations, youth, adult, and dislocated workers.
Camden County accepted the challenge of providing the services without increasing overhead. In July of 2009, the Camden County One-Stop Career Center began a Summer Employment Program using ARRA Youth funds that focused on economically disadvantaged, out of school youth between the ages of 17 to 24.
We employed 278 youth in non-profit, government, education work sites throughout the County after they participated in a Work Readiness and Financial Literacy Training modules.
In May, we sponsored a Summer Youth Job Fair at Woodrow Wilson High School with over 30 employers in attendance. The Resource Center provided access to large pools of local employers with specific hiring needs and immediate openings. For the past two years, we have sponsored a Summer Youth Job Fair at a Camden City High School. We have also assisted local employers with their individual job fairs including the Susquehanna Bank Center and Clementon Park.
On October 1st of this year, 120 of the ARRA Summer Youth continued their work experience while agreeing to use the Transition Program to complete further assessment and gain necessary skills to enter the world of full time work. This program will run through February of 2010.
In June, due to the tremendous volume of Camden County residents interested in and needing the training resources provided by the College; Our Resource Center Counseling, Job Development and MIS staff went onsite at the college to present our Orientation Workshops. The workshops were given in both the afternoon and evening. After the Orientations, all customers met with Resource Center staff to determine and resolve their specific issues and needs. Throughout the process of working with a large volume of customers, we have made great strides in forging better relationships with our partners, Camden County College and the Camden County Technical School. Camden County College responded rapidly to the changing look of the job market by developing and implementing new and innovative programs that will enhance employment opportunities for hundreds. In addition to the “normal” training referrals for individuals, under NJ Labor & Workforce Development leadership, Camden County agreed to participate in a new class size training contract opportunity with the Community Colleges. Called NJ Training on Demand, these offerings allow us to stretch our ARRA funds even further through the partnership with the state and the community colleges. Job Placement is an integral part of this endeavor.
The Camden County WIB, through a grant agreement with the Delaware Valley Innovation Network, a Tri-State consortium, obtained an additional $100,000 that was used to offset the training cost of approximately 40 Dislocated Workers.
The WIB commenced a partnership with the Juvenile Justice Commission for those youth being released from the NJ Training School in Jamesburg. Under formal agreement, these young people begin their preparation for the world of gainful employment while still incarcerated and actually meet with their One-Stop Counselor sixty days prior to discharge. They have a plan and appointments so that it is no longer left to chance that they will find their way to our free One-Stop Career Center services.
The Resource Workforce Learning Link enrolled a total of 124 students this year. Thirty-three (33) raised their grades to enter the training of their choice while 12 received their GED and 12 entered employment. Under the leadership of the WIB Literacy Committee, the Resource Center has partnered with the Ravitz family owned Shop-Rite Supermarkets. In the past, potential employees would go through an application and interview process that included a math skills test. Candidates who fail the math portion of the application are now referred to the Workforce Learning Link. Initial results show that six out of seven applicants have been hired after remediation. The WIB will work with other employers and expand the program in 2010.
The WIB is always interested in developing partnerships that will enhance the county’s economic conditions, so when the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and Camden County College expressed interest in assisting the city of Camden in establishing a non-credit exam preparation course, with the goal of increasing the ability of city residents to perform well on the exam, the WIB was interested in participating in this effort and will continue to forge this partnership into 2010. This will make the residents of Camden City more attractive and viable candidates at police departments throughout the state.
The WIB held many Resource Events throughout the year connecting dislocated workers to opportunities at the College and services through our One-Stop.
In serving the ex-offender population, VOA (Volunteers of America), CCC (Camden County College), CCBSS (Camden County Board of Social Services), One-Stop, Legal Services of NJ, Rutgers School of Law and the NJ State Parole Board worked to address the 1,300 ex-offender population returning to the city after incarceration. The WIB partnered with the Walter Rand Institute and helped secure a $150,000 Nicholson Foundation grant to fund this program.
This past year the WIB created a collaborative template for submitting proposals for large grant awards. A collaborative template increases the competitiveness of the applications; creating a stronger possibility of obtaining the requested funding. The WIB will continue this practice in the New Year in anticipation of receiving additional funding to service our residents.
The WIB has been working with county stakeholders for several years to implement an ITS, Intelligent Transportation System to augment the current transportation options within the county. We recently accepted the resignation of long time employee and previous Executive Director, Leona Tanker who spearheaded this effort. Leona was replaced by Jerome Phillips, CCTM to take over the day to day operations of the project. We will submit our revised draft implementation plan to the DOT, Department of Transportation in early January. This could not have been accomplished without the support of our Freeholders and more importantly our committed stakeholders. We are confident that this demonstration grant will positively impact the residents of Camden County to ensure better coordination for our transportation providers and assist those who are transportation disadvantaged.
I would like to thank all of our Trustees and the people who make it happen at our One-Stop and Resource Center, the staff! Thank you for your dedication over this past year. I look forward to working with all of you in the coming year and wish you and your family a joyous holiday season.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Jeffrey S. Swartz
Executive Director
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