About Greater Raritan

NEW EMPLOYER-FOCUSED OPPORTUNITIES RELEASED BY GRWDB AIM TO SUPPORT BUSINESS GROWTH, STABILITY

Responses are due by Wednesday, September 2, for two projects designed to assist employers in Somerset and Hunterdon with their retention and hiring needs.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB), serving Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, has oversight responsibilities of the Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center and its partners, including direct services for training and support for special populations. The GRWDB also allocates a portion of its federal and state grant funds for the incumbent worker training and on-the-job training needs of local employers.

To support this direction, the GRWDB, through its designated Fiscal Agent, Somerset County, issued on August 3 Requests for Applicants (RFAs) for the following two opportunities:

Apprenticeship On-the-Job Training Grants, intended to support Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor employers in Hunterdon and Somerset Counties by facilitating the development, training, and retention of their workforce. Through direct involvement and supervision of industry-qualified trainees, employees, and workers, the program aims to enhance the skills of the local workforce while promoting employer stability and competitiveness.

Work Experience & Training Programs Option A: On-the-Job Training Option B: Incumbent Worker Training Option C: Online Incumbent Worker Training, intended to support new employees, and current employees gain and increase their skills in sustainable career pathways. Employers based in the Somerset and Hunterdon counties may choose to respond to either Option A or Option B or respond to both.

On-the-Job Training is paid work experience training is designed to allow participating employers in the two counties to have direct input and oversight of the training candidates/employees/workers, to enhance the skills of the local workforce while supporting employer stability and competitiveness. Incumbent Worker Training assists participating employers in the two counties by enhancing the skills of their current employees/workforce while supporting and/or increasing employer competitiveness; Incumbent Worker Training also can offer advancement opportunities for individuals into new positions, thereby opening up positions to program participants in other GRWDB-funded programs. The Online Incumbent Worker Training option requires an experienced vendor that can provide off-the-shelf virtual employability skills training for employers in the two counties. The chosen vendor will work directly with employers.

"This is the fourth year we have offered the Work Experience & Training Programs and the second year for the Apprenticeship OJT program," said Paul Grzella, GRWDB Director. "We have supported nonprofit and new for-profit businesses of all types and sizes, and we invite employers to review the RFAs to see how they may help support their workforce objectives."

The RFAs also can be accessed on the RFP Opportunities page on the Government - Purchasing page of the Somerset County website. Questions regarding the proposals may be sent to PurchasingDiv@somersetcountynj.gov.

JERSEY JOB CLUB WORKSHOP SERIES SET FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER BY GREATER RARITAN ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER

The Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center in Somerville is hosting a series of Jersey Job Club Workshops in September and October. The 90-minute-long job seeker-focused workshops will be presented in two monthly series -- one virtual, through Zoom, and one in-person (limited seating) at the One-Stop Career Center, 75 Veterans Memorial Drive, Somerville.

The partners in the Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center have the expertise and knowledge to lead these workshops which are aimed at assisting job seekers in Hunterdon and Somerset Counties attain their career goals. There is no charge to attend any of the sessions which will run from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on the following dates.

  • Monday, September 14: Top Notch Resume 1 and 2 - virtual
  • Tuesday, September 15: Acing the Interview 1 and 2 - virtual
  • Wednesday, September 16: Path to Employment and Networking - virtual
  • Monday, September 28: Top Notch Resume 1 and 2 - in-person
  • Tuesday, September 29: Acing the Interview 1 and 2 - in-person
  • Wednesday, September 30: Path to Employment and Networking - in-person
  • Tuesday, October 13: Top Notch Resume 1 and 2 - virtual
  • Wednesday, October 14: Acing the Interview 1 and 2 - virtual
  • Thursday, October 15: Path to Employment and Networking - virtual
  • Monday, October 26: Top Notch Resume 1 and 2 - in-person
  • Tuesday, October 27: Acing the Interview 1 and 2 - in-person
  • Wednesday, October 28: Path to Employment and Networking - in-person

To attend virtually or in person, fill out an information/registration form. Once completed, email it to shiela.gaa@dol.nj.gov by the Wednesday before the scheduled workshop, or for more information or assistance, call 908-704-3000.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB)
The GRWDB oversees $4 million annually in federal-, state- and county-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. More information about these programs can be found on thegrwdb.org, including stories on initiatives, a resource tab for job seekers, and an updated calendar of events. Weekly text alerts highlight career and job opportunities in Somerset and Hunterdon counties. Text “one-stop” to 908-460-8144 to sign up.

LEARN ABOUT UPCOMING CHANGES FOR SERVICE LOCATIONS FOR THE GREATER RARITAN ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER PARTNERS

Walk-in, appointment, virtual and phone services are available to career seekers in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties through the Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center offices and partners in Somerville. As noted below, the Flemington location is in transition.Please read on for details

The Somerville Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center Employment Services office and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) office at 75 Veterans Memorial Blvd. are open for walk-in services 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding state holidays. For information on Employment Services, call 908-704-3000. For information on DVRS, call 908-704-3030. To schedule an appointment, use this form.

The Flemington Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Center has relocated to a new location at 27 Minneakoning Road. The new location will open with limited services after Labor Day. Full service delivery is anticipated to begin in October with services available from multiple partners including state Employment Services, DVRS, Training Center and WorkFirst New Jersey partners. In-person service is available in Somerville at the above hours and phone and virtual services are also available. Call 908-704-3000 or use this form.

The Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Training Center on the second floor of the Somerset County Human Services building, 27 Warren St. in Somerville is open for walk-in services from 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding county holidays. Training Center team members also staff the Flemington One-Stop location one day per week and for appointments. Call 908-541-5780; Hunterdon Couty residents also may call 908-331-6260. Email onestop@somersetcountynj.gov.

Appointments are encouraged to ensure staff will be available as needed by career seekers looking for assistance with job search, resume assistance, training assistance and general career questions. These offices also have public-use computers available for career-related work.

Staff members of the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) are available for walk-in and appointment service from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the third floor of 27 Warren St. in Somerville. Call 908-541-5790 or email info@thegrwdb.org.

For more information on general system services, visit the home page of www.thegrwdb.org. For the English-language flyer with an overview of services, click here. For the Spanish-language flyer with an overview of services, click here.

Unemployment assistance is not available at any Greater Raritan location. Those with unemployment questions may call 732-761-2020 or visit https://myunemployment.nj.gov to explore additional resources or make an appointment for in-person assistance at one of 13 locations around the state.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board oversees federally and state-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. Weekly text alerts highlight career and job opportunities in Somerset and Hunterdon counties. Text “onestop” to 908-460-8144 to sign up.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN-FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE ASSISTED NEARLY 300 RVCC STUDENTS

The Raritan Valley Community College Scholarship Program supported by the Somerset Board of County Commissioners with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has assisted 137 students this year in career-demand classes at the college.

With the 2026 round of scholarships, a total of 284 students from Somerset and Hunterdon Counties have used the funding over the past four years to support their career-focused educational efforts. The scholarship program began in the fall of 2022, when a portion of funds received from the ARPA was allocated by the commissioner boards in the two counties to need-based career scholarships for training programs in high-demand industries offered at the Branchburg-based RVCC. The scholarships were made possible through recommendations and collaboration between the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) and the two commissioner boards.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the grant from Somerset County,” said Somerset, Franklin, resident Dawna Scott, one of 43 students who used the scholarship fund to complete RVCC’s Phlebotomy Program. “I am optimistic that my participation in the Phlebotomy Lab Assistance course at RVCC will lead to employment opportunities in the phlebotomy sector.”

In addition to the phlebotomy technician program students, since the program began four received scholarships in the electrocardiogram (ECG) technician program, seven in the welding program, 11 in the manufacturing program, six in the Pharmacy Tech program and 14 in a new Durable Skills program launched earlier this year. The largest class participation -- 195 students -- was in the college’s multi-part aseptic cleaning program launched in 2025.

All these pathway programs are housed in RVCC’s Workforce Training Center; in the aseptic program, some recipients are employees at Johnson & Johnson using the program to support expanded opportunities at the company’s Somerset County location.

The career-training scholarship program began in 2022 with a request for funding from the GRWDB. As a result of the request, the Boards of Commissioners allocated from 2022 to 2024 a total of $106,546 to the RVCC Career Scholarship grant program. Somerset County students received $88,000, and Hunterdon County students obtained $18,546 in scholarship funding. The initial funding was available until the end of 2024, and at the end of 2024, Somerset County allocated an additional $200,000 in funding that is available through the end of 2026.

Available funding has nearly been expended for these ARP scholarships, but eligible students from Hunterdon and Somerset counties interested in in-demand classes at RVCC and other training schools and programs may still be able to utilize individual training grants and other training opportunities available through GRWDB partners.

As of August 1, 2026, 276 Somerset County residents/workers and eight Hunterdon County residents have received scholarships. The scholarships pay for the program training costs as well as for related book and exam fees, and as-needed background and liability insurance.

The scholarship recipients come from all communities in the two counties. In Somerset County, Bridgewater and Franklin had 10 students each, and the other recipients came from Bedminster, Bernards, Branchburg, Bound Brook, Far Hills, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, North Plainfield, Raritan Borough, Somerville, Warren and Watchung. In Hunterdon County, students came from Annandale, Flemington, Lebanon, Milford and Whitehouse Station. Recipients ranged in age and life experiences, with some employed, others seeking employment, and some are new Americans. All recipients were excited to venture into a new career.

Shaunalee Cunningham expressed her “sincere thanks for your generous support. This scholarship will significantly ease the financial burden of my education and allow me to fully focus on achieving my academic goals. I am honored to be selected and promise to make the most of this opportunity.”

Another student said the scholarship came at important point in her life, because she has been on disability and has been unable to work, so this helps her alleviate her current economic situation.

“The scholarships allow breathing room for students who may otherwise be faced with the choice of paying for education or paying for rent or healthcare,” said GRWDB Board Member Joanne Hala.

To view Career Training opportunities at Raritan Valley Community College, visit https://www.raritanval.edu/career-training.

To learn more about the RVCC Career Scholarship grant program, email Maryam Sheikh at the Workforce Training Center of RVCC at Maryam.Sheikh@raritanval.edu.

More information about the GRWDB, its program partners and area workforce system services can be found at www.thegrwdb.org.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB)
The GRWDB oversees more than $4 million annually in federal-, state- and county-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. In recent years, it has expanded its footprint of services and programs, to ensure that it is connecting job seekers to career-development pathway opportunities around the region.

EMPLOYERS AND JOB SEEKERS SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTED AT JULY 23 RECRUITMENT EVENT IN SOMERVILLE

Fourteen employers met with 128 job seekers during an in-person Multi-Employer Entry Level Recruitment Event presented by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) on Thursday, July 23.

The two-hour event was conducted in the first-floor conference room of the Somerset County Human Services Building at 27 Warren St., Somerville.

This event was open to all job seekers, but was particularly focused on those with barriers to employment.

A steady stream of job seekers met with employers during the July 23 Recruitment Event in Somerville.

The employers in attendance were:

  • Forged Solutions Group - Custom Alloy
  • Mascia Capital Group - Dunkin' Donuts
  • Hackensack Meridian Health
  • Hitran Corp.
  • Hudson Community Enterprises
  • Krapf School Bus
  • New Jersey Eastern Star Rehabilitation and Nursing
  • NJ Transit
  • Restaurant Depot
  • Right at Home
  • Somerset County
  • Superior Court of New Jersey,
  • United States Postal Services
  • Zufall Health. 

This was the third quarterly focused Recruitment Event conducted by GRWDB partners in 2026. In addition to meeting with hiring employers and getting career resources, one of the unique features of these recruitments for job seekers is that some employers agree to review resumes beforehand and set up interviews with candidates they want to meet.

For this event, more than 100 resumes were received prior to Thursday and 18 people were interviewed on site. About a dozen more are scheduled to be interviewed in coming days. As of August 21, 15 job offers were extended and 10 were accepted; more are possible. The April quarterly recruitment, conducted in Flemington, resulted in eight individuals getting jobs.

State Veterans Representative Daphne Hilton, right, talks to a job seeker Thursday.

Immediate employer feedback was positive, including how well the event was organized and the caliber of job seekers in attendance. One employer wrote that she saw "lots of interested candidates. Hopefully some will turn into hires."

State Business Services personnel Karen Araujo, left, and Ingrid Macias, were among the career staff at the event.

Watch this video promoting the Recruitment Event.

Registration is appreciated but not mandatory, for these recruitment events, unless a job seeker wants to be considered for an interview by participating employers. Job seekers are asked to email resumes within 24 hours of registration; each event's registration form includes an updated list of employers, and instructions for interview and resume sharing. Walk-ins are welcome, too.

The final quarterly recruitment event of 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on Thursday, October 29, at the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce in Flemington.

For questions about this future event as well as other programs and services offered by the GRWDB and its partners, email info@thegrwdb.org.