Displaced Workers Offered Seminar at Stockton

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will host a conference Wednesday, Jan. 14 designed to help community members displaced by the economy to re-enter the workforce.
“The Three Rs (Re-entry, Re-Invent, Resources) of Re-Employment” Conference will include sessions on how displaced workers might market themselves during tough economic conditions and retool skills to be more attractive to a wide range of employers.
The event, open to the public, will take place from 8:30 to noon, at the Townsend Residential Life Center on the campus here. Cost is $10, early registration has been extended to Friday, Jan. 9, $15 after Jan 9.
The conference is the latest step the college has undertaken to help community members during what has been acknowledged by the federal government as a recession in the U.S. economy.
“As one of the stable segments in the economy, higher education has an obligation to help community members less fortunate,” said Dr. Herman J.Saatkamp Jr., president.
In addition to the conference, Stockton recently took the unprecedented step of lowering undergraduate tuition by 10 percent for its upcoming summer session, and housing costs by 20 percent. Stockton’s Office of Career Planning hosts several employment fairs each year and offers its network of job postings and expert career counseling for community members. Stockton’s Small Business Development Center at the Carnegie Center in Atlantic City helps people transition to the benefits of entrepreneurial work.
“Stockton has resources, expertise and facilities to help displaced workers through difficult times. We’re offering these resources to our community members as well as our students.”
The January conference offers specific strategies for unemployed professionals, according to event organizing team member, Cynthia Sosnowski of Stone Harbor. “We will be helping people with resume development strategies, utilizing 21st Century job search resources and even social networking to help find employment.”
An additional session at the conference will inform attendees about in-demand careers and the requirements of marketable in today’s workforce and that of the future. Panelists will include a wide range of Stockton faculty and staff, and will also include representatives from Atlantic Cape Community College and the Workforce Investment Board One Stop Career Center.
“Although people have been displaced by the current state of the economy, there remain opportunities for those savvy enough to reposition, use the skills they have and acquire new skills,” Sosnowski said.
Cost of the conference includes a continental breakfast. For more information or to register call 609.652.4227 or log onto www.stockton.edu/hshs under ‘Conferences’