One-Stop for Job Seekers Can Be the Way to Work

WILDWOOD – Every day, the tide washes in and recedes along the beach, and every year, jobs surge in Cape May County for the summer, only to ebb away through the fall and winter. 
But some year-round jobs remain for those who can find them. In a nondescript white office building across from Wildwood’s water tower on New Jersey Avenue, there is help available. 
“Consider us a mall. You can walk in the door, and you can shop for a job,” said Terri Bryan, administrator of the One-Stop center at 3810 New Jersey Ave. in Wildwood.
She compared it to one-stop shopping.
The One-Stop is administered through the New Jersey Division of Workforce Development, using federal dollars to connect potential employers with people who want to work.
Through the glass doors, it’s divided between the state’s side, where job seekers can get help finding employment, and Bryan’s area, operated through Cape May County, which helps with training and preparation, so job clients will be ready to land a job and be prepared to succeed once hired. 
Clients can get help with training, education and more. There’s guidance for those filing for unemployment insurance, and computers available for job searches. There’s even help preparing a resume or getting the right outfit for a job interview.
But do most people in the county know this is available?
“Some people tell us that we’re the best-kept secret,” said Bryan in a recent interview.
There are One-Stop centers around the state, and details on the Cape May County center are available at careerconnections.nj.gov, but Bryan said most people hear about the One-Stop by word of mouth.
Multiple Services Combined
Cape May County used to be joined with Atlantic County as a workforce development area, but in 2016, it moved to a combined district with Cumberland and Salem counties at the request of the Cape May County government, according to Allison Spinelli, the executive director of the tri-county organization.
State legislation created the One-Stop model so that those seeking services would not have to travel to multiple locations, she said.
But under that roof, there are staff members who work for different agencies, operating under a memorandum of understanding that outlines the various responsibilities and programs.
“It’s somewhat complicated,” she said. But for a job seeker, that part of the equation doesn’t necessarily matter much. Once they’ve entered the system, they have access to the various services regardless of the provider or source of funding.
“If you’re getting the services that you need, you don’t necessarily know or care who’s providing them to you,” said Spinelli.
In Wildwood, there are state employees that can help job seekers connect to specific employers, and the county staff under Bryan. They work with the Cape May County Technical High School and the Atlantic Cape Community College on education and training programs, along with other organizations.
Her mandate is to train people for jobs that are available, which includes input from area employers, “so all of the training we provide is labor-demand.”
For instance, right now there’s a strong demand for certified nursing assistants and home health aides. Bryan went so far as to call it a dire need. She said the One-Stop can help clients find training in that field, taking into account their available transportation, and help someone move toward a new career.
Train on the Job
At the site are services for veterans, ex-offenders, youth services and help for workers 55 and older, along with vocational rehabilitation services.
“We do the employment and training piece. We’re also looking at working with entry-level employment areas and working with employers to do an on-the-job training program,” said Bryan.
The recently launched on-the-job training program matches up to half the employee’s pay for up to 26 weeks.
To be eligible, the job must pay at least $10 an hour and can be a way for businesses to hire and train new staff.
Bryan said she has slots for 20 people, 10 for young workers who are just starting out, and another 10 for adults.
“If we fill those slots, then we will explore requesting additional funds to meet the needs of our local employers,” Bryan said.
The One-Stop is federally funded, she said. The entire operation has a budget of close to $1 million, about half of which funds the programs, while the other $500,000 goes toward the facility.
While there have been employment programs in one form or another for years, the One-Stop in its current form has been in Wildwood since the summer of 2016. 
“In that timeframe, we’ve had 996 job seekers walk through that door,” Bryan said.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, there’s orientation at 1 p.m., laying out the available services. Anybody looking for a job – or for a better job – is welcome. “Anybody interested in any type of service can walk in the One-Stop Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
Bryan said the staff encourages new clients to take an aptitude and interest test.
“Because sometimes your hobby can become your career,” she said. “Especially if you’ve been laid off. It’s a time to really explore.”
If additional training is needed for that new career, she said, there can be help to fund that, as much as $4,000 per person. That could include help finding training for a career in healthcare or certification as a forklift operator.
“It’s a little bit of everything, but we want to make sure it ends in job placement,” she said.
Next Step in Your Career
A great deal of detailed information can be found at careerconnections.nj.gov. Interviewed separately for this piece, Spinelli acknowledged it can be a little overwhelming. For those who want a hand navigating it, there is help at the One-Stop, she said.
The site also offers guidance for staff, she said, so that the services offered in Cape May County will match what’s offered in Warren County or anywhere else in New Jersey.
Computer Savvy
While old-fashioned want ads are still the first place to check for some jobs, many more advertise only online.
That’s also become a primary way for many to apply for unemployment benefits. While Bryan said most people now have an internet-enabled phone, some don’t have computer access or are not tech savvy. Job seekers are welcome to use the computers at the center, she said.
There is help for job applications and signing up for unemployment benefits.
Even the amount of advice available at the Wildwood One-Stop is a little overwhelming, with tips on how to dress for an interview, writing a resume, and even what to take down from social media before starting the job search.
Some people make such strong connections that they come back after they’ve found work, sometimes looking for a better job, others to pass on some of what they’ve learned, Bryan said.
She heaped praise on the Cape May County community for its support, citing churches and community organizations, but also business and other groups.
Community partners will help get a potential applicant outfitted for a job interview and more.
“If we can’t provide a service, our goal is to network with our partners to where that’s available. I would call it holistic assessment and counseling,” Bryan said.
If someone is homeless, or in an unstable situation, she said the center can help.
“Our goal is to get them into training if that’s their choice, or into a job. But the first thing we’re going to do is network with all of our partners within the community to get them out of that homeless state to a place where they have a roof over their heads, and then we’ll address the other needs.” 
The services are only available to U.S. citizens. The One-Stop is open 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 3810 New Jersey Ave., 609-729-0997.
Directions and more details can be found at http://careerconnections.nj.gov/careerconnections/plan/support/njccsites/cape_may_oscc.shtml.
To contact Bill Barlow, email bbarlow@cmcherald.com.