Locally Governed Job Training Closer to Reality

WILDWOOD – Cape May County will negotiate a lease for the One-Stop Center, 3810 New Jersey Ave. in this city as it plans to assume its role as part of the Cumberland-Salem-Cape May Workforce Development Board. 
Freeholders passed a resolution June 14 that included several measures needed to form the locally-operated employment development entity in conjunction with its new partner counties.
The board authorized joining the Cumberland-Salem-Cape May board April 12. That action was taken after decades of displeasure with the governance of the Atlantic Cape Workforce Investment Board, controlled by Atlantic County.
The board’s action was also taken in the belief that county residents will be better served with employment training if there is direct, local control, unlike having control in Atlantic County.
The June 14 resolution notes that by “embarking on this new joint venture” service delivery by the county “can achieve greater efficiencies in the administration of workforce development programs.”
The county will be required to “retain various additional administrative and clerical staff to operate various programs, including without limitation the One-Stop Center in Wildwood.”
That action, the board believes, combined with other facets of membership in the new regional entity will result in better service delivery of employment-related activities and training to residents, overseen by county residents.
The county will administer programs it deems best for residents.
Appointed by the resolution to the new Workforce Development Board as governmental representatives were directors of the departments of Human Services, Planning and Social Services.
Non-governmental representatives were not determined. When appointed by the board, those representatives will serve “at the pleasure” of freeholders. They may be reappointed annually at the reorganization meeting in January.
Status of the Division of Workforce Development will be annually “reexamined at the next annual reorganization” of freeholders. The board will make changes as it sees fitting.
All the above is aimed at better addressing training, education, and workforce development needs of the county. A function, listed in the April 12 resolution, was “to create a labor force that possesses employment skills as identified by and relevant to the local community business needs in the three-county region.”
Further, the document states, the new entity will “build upon and expand partnerships that currently exist for economic development, tourism and other related purposes in the three-county region…”
Colleen Hendrickson of North Cape May questioned the board prior to passage of the resolution who would be the operator of the One-Stop Center. She noted most working at the One-Stop Center were Atlantic County employees. Thornton said he previously heard similar complaints.
“I guarantee employees at that One-Stop Center will be Cape May County residents,” said Thornton. “They were using our money to support Atlantic County.”
“The basic responsibility for the operation will be Cape May County,” responded Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton. He added there would be “significant change” as the new entity began working together.
“Each county is responsible to man their site,” said Thornton. The new venture is “falling initially under Economic Development.”