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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.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED FOR FREE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CLASSES IN SOMERSET COUNTY THIS FALL

Registration has closed for the next cohort of classes for First Steps Basic English, the free English-language learning program for residents of Somerset County. The program, funded through the end of 2026 by the Somerset County Board of Commissioners with American Rescue Plan dollars, is part of the free adult literacy programs for English-language learners in Hunterdon and Somerset counties offered by partners of the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board.

First Steps Basic English has served more than 500 individuals since being launched as a pilot in September of 2023. For the fall of 2026, classes and small group instruction will be offered around Somerset County. Locations are in Bound Brook, Franklin Township, Manville, North Plainfield and Raritan Borough.

The program funds a Literacy Navigator, based with the Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County (LVSC). Stella Nieves, the Literacy Navigator, works with applicants to try to place them in the different planned classes and small groups based on the applicant’s residence and program space availability. As participants go through classes, she also continues to work with them and their teachers, to see if the participants’ progress makes them eligible to participate in other literacy programs available through different vendors.

Space is limited for the First Steps Basic English program, and waiting lists are developed. Applicants also are referred to other literacy services in the county as appropriate.

For more information, contact Nieves; email snieves@literacysomerset.org or call 908-864-4936. More details also are available at www.thegrwdb.org/esl.

Providers of the program include LVSC, Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) and the Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission (HCECS), working with the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB). Libraries throughout the county also support the initiative by providing space for the classes and small-group instruction. These partners are part of the GRWDB’s Literacy Committee, which seeks to share information about and expand the effectiveness of the free literacy programs in both Hunterdon and Somerset Counties.

Other existing literacy programs offered by First Steps partners in Hunterdon and Somerset counties receive separate state and federal funding. Testing and placement are ongoing for these services and conducted in the late summer/early fall and winter. These include:

HCESC: The agency offers a variety of free literacy classes, including English Language Acquisition and high school equivalency classes, in locations around Somerset and Hunterdon Counties. Registration continues on a rolling basis. To register, use the QR code in this flyer. The Spanish-language version of the flyer can be viewed here. For more information, visit www.hunterdonesc.org and click on the Adult Programs/English Classes or High School Equivalency links, or email adultliteracy@hunterdonesc.org.

RVCC: The college offers free and fee-based literacy and English language skills classes, including some targeted to help individuals prepare for in-demand career opportunities. There are separate continuing education and Workforce ESL programs and these classes. To learn more, visit raritanval.edu/esl-courses. For Workforce ESL, contact Maryam.Sheikh@raritanval.edu or 908-526-1200, Ext. 8462. For Adult and Continuing Education programs, contact conrad.mercurius@raritanval.edu or 908-526-1200, Ext. 8332.

Other literacy service providers in Hunterdon and Somerset counties:

LVSC: For more information about other services, including one-on-one tutoring, volunteering or becoming a tutor, call 908-725-5430, or visit LiteracySomerset.org.

Hunterdon Helpline, ESL: Volunteers at Hunterdon Helpline provide free literacy services through custom, one-on-one, barrier-free individual instruction, for beginner to advanced English language levels. To obtain an application, email literacy@helplinehc.com, call 908-782-4357, or visit www.helplinehc.org.

About the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
The GRWDB oversees federally and state-funded career and employment services for businesses and residents in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. More information about these programs can be found on https://www.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 “onestop” to 908-460-8144 to sign up. Email info@thegrwdb.org or call 908-541-5790.

APPLICATIONS HAVE CLOSED FOR 2026 SUMMER YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM IN HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES

The application process has closed for the 2026 Summer Youth Work Experience Program sponsored by the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB).

This is the seventh consecutive year that the GRWDB is sponsoring the summer youth program with funding from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). It is one of 10 NJDOL-funded programs around the state. The Greater Raritan SYWEP has served 321 youth who had had work experiences with 145 employers since the program’s inception. This includes 94 youth and 33 employers in 2025.

Initially, the GRWDB received funding for approximately 50 youth participants, and employer and youth applications were due at the start of May. In the beginning of June, the NJDOL notified the GRWDB and other grant recipients that their grants were being increased; the GRWDB’s program award was doubled to $338,122.00, which will enable the GRWDB to support up to 87 paid work experiences. In addition, the GRWDB is reallocating some of its other state youth funding to support up to another 10 positions, dependent on youth eligibility requirements associated with this funding.

With the infusion of additional grant support, applications for employer and youth participants reopened on June 12 and subsequently closed on July 2.

For this year’s program, youth participants can work any 200-hour period between May 19 to October 16. Participants must be between the ages of 16 and 24 and can be in school or out of school. Those accepted into the program will work 180 hours with the employer and complete another 20 hours of online and in-person career-readiness training and peer coaching sessions directed by the GRWDB. The youth participant’s tax-free stipend will be $17.00 an hour, for a total of $3,400.00, if all 200 hours are completed.

For the first cohort’s May 4 deadline, the GRWDB received more than 200 youth applications and 28 employer applications. Summer Youth Program Coordinator Jeanne Cassano is now finalizing the employer-youth matches for this group and will begin working on matches for this second cohort, which includes six new employer participants as well as more than two dozen youth applicants. Some youth participants began in their work experiences in late June, and it is anticipated that all participants will be in their positions by the third to fourth week in July.

Any private or public employer of any size in Hunterdon and Somerset counties with available part-time positions could apply to be an employer participant. This year’s employers represent a range of private businesses as well as municipal and county government agencies.

“We are thrilled that the NJDOL has increased the program award,” said Cassano, who is also the GRWDB’s contract compliance and engagement specialist. “This is a wonderful growth opportunity for our youth participants and our employers. Last year, three youth stayed on with their employers, which puts the GRWDB’s mission of connecting job seekers and businesses into action.”

Anyone with questions can contact Cassano at jcassano@somersetcountynj.gov or call 908-541-5785.

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About the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
The GRWDB oversees federally and state-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.

500-PLUS JOB SEEKERS ATTEND 2026 GREATER RARITAN JOB FAIR

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board thanks all the partners and attendees who made the 2026 Greater Raritan Job Fair on May 19 a grand success.

Job Fair attendees from around Central and North Jersey met with 56 employers and agency representatives Tuesday.

The GRWDB sends a special thank you to the volunteers and committee leads for the event’s host partner, the Hindu Temple and Cultural Society. They made sure everyone felt welcome during the event. In addition, the Somerset County, NJ Public Works teams brought tables to the temple and set up signage the week before, and team members from different divisions of the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development helped promote the event and then supported its smooth running. The event also was supported by the excellent work of Fernandel Almonor, Greater Raritan’s One-Stop Operator, and the small but mighty GRWDB staff, Jeanne Cassano, Chika Okoye and Nekishia Brown.

Left to right, GRWDB Board Chair Nichelle Santos, Vice-Chair Claudia Goddiess and Jose Cruz of APEX Building Services.
Somerset County Recruiter Kristen Woodward, right, talks with a job seeker.
Sofia Bandeira of the One-Stop Career Training Center presents information during a career workshop Tuesday.

All this hard work paid off – the GRWDB received very positive feedback from the employers and nonprofit agencies in attendance who shared information and collected resumes from job seeker. In all, more than 500 job seekers walked through the job fair during a very busy three-hour period. While many were from Somerset and Hunterdon counties, there also attendees from Middlesex, Mercer, Warren, Union, Essex and other New Jersey counties as well as from Pennsylvania.

In addition to meeting with employer representatives to share resumes and gather career-related information from a number of state and county agencies, attendees also had the opportunity to attend a workshop offered by Sofia Bandeira, with the Greater Raritan One-Stop Career Training Center. Bandeira presented an overview of available system services.

One of employers at the event was the Superior Court of New Jersey – Vicinage 13. While the process for reviewing applications has started and is ongoing, they agency is already assisting eight attendees with resume review, finding potentially aligned positions and applying, and working with a recent law school graduate to identify a judicial clerkship. This the type of story that demonstrates the value of the workforce development efforts by the GRWDB and its partners.

Attendees also included GRWDB Vice-Chair Claudia Goddiess, who was at the event once again as an employer vendor for APEX Building Services, and GRWDB Chair Nichelle Santos, who came to talk with employers and job seekers.

For more information on other upcoming career-related events, go to the Events – Calendar tab of www.thegrwdb.org where all career-related programs and events are listed.

Job Fair attendees had the opportunity to meet network and learn about job opportunities and local services.

APRIL 30 PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE EVENT CELEBRATED 2026 NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

Nearly 100 exhibitors and community members attended Pathways to the Future, a celebration of National Apprenticeship Week 2026, which took place on April 30 at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.

The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board’s Youth Committee hosted Pathways to the Future, a free in-person celebration for National Apprenticeship Week 2026, at the Raritan Valley Community College Conference Center in Branchburg on Thursday, April 30.

This event was open to middle school, high school and college-age youth as well as recent graduates and other job seekers and more than 60 community members were in attendance. Pathways to the Future event was one of hundreds conducted around the country during the last week in April to highlight the ways apprenticeships are being used in a growing variety of occupations to provide needed services and provide lifelong career pathway opportunities.

Businesses and union organizations, school programs, service providers, governmental agencies and other entities took part in the event as exhibitors and used this opportunity to network and talk about their programs with attendees. In addition, a light meal was available, courtesy of ShopRite of Hunterdon.

The event also included a conversation about apprenticeship opportunities moderated by GRWDB Director Paul Grzella. Chris Lee with the U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship, discussed the value of apprenticeship as a career-development pathway while Conrad Mercurius, with RVCC’s Workforce Training Center, discussed how the college supports apprenticeship pathways for students. Marie Danielle Vil-Young of A Votre Service Events and Claus Holmgaard, a longtime employee of from Schaible’s Plumbing, Heating and Water Treatment talked about apprenticeships and careers associated with their businesses, reflecting the growing diversity of the apprenticeship model.

Organizations registered to attend as of April 23 include A Votre Service Events LLC | AVS Events and Floral Art Institute, Associated Construction Contractors of NJ (ACCN), Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Hunterdon County Vocational School, Indigo Station LLC, Middle Earth, Qunnections Management Group, LLC, Raritan Valley Community College, Schaible`s Plumbing, United States Air Force, U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship, Vanguard Energy Partners and Visions & Pathways.

There was no charge to attend this workforce development event as an exhibitor or as attendee.

For more information about GRWDB partner services and to join the GRWDB Youth Committee, email info@thegrwdb.org. The agendas for Youth Committee meetings are available on the Events – Meeting Packages tab of the GRWDB website.

For more information on apprenticeships, for employers and job seekers, visit apprenticeship.gov.

The GRWDB apprenticeship event include a panel discussion, with, left to right, Chris Lee with the U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship, Marie Danielle Vil-Young of A Votre Service Events, Conrad Mercurius of Raritan Valley Community College, and Claus Holmgaard of Schaible’s Plumbing, Heating and Water Treatment. GRWDB Director Paul Grzella, far right, moderated the discussion.

About the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
The GRWDB oversees federally and state-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. Email info@thegrwdb.org. or call 908-541-5790.

EXPERIENCED TALENT RECRUITMENT EVENT IN FLEMINGTON SEES IMMEDIATE HIRES

Daphne Hilton, left, and Shiela Gaa with the Greater Raritan state Employment Services team shared information about career programs in Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

The in-person Experienced Talent Recruitment presented by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) on Thursday, April 30, at the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce on Main Street in Flemington drew nearly 60 job seekers who had the opportunity to share how their work experiences could assist a hiring employer. The event also job seekers looking to dip back into the employment scene. While the event focused on employers with full- and part-time hiring opportunities for experienced workers, 55 years and older, all job seekers were invited to attend.

These job seekers met with 14 employers who were ready to hire with the assistance of the event’s unique resume-matching process. Based on preliminary feedback, employers reported that five individuals were hired that week, and more job placements are possible.

The next quarterly targeted recruitment is set for July 23 at the Somerset County Human Services Building at 27 Warren Street in Somerville. Look for details starting in mid-June. For more upcoming job fair and career events, see go to the constantly updated calendar on www.theGRWDB.org.

The week prior to the event, the GRWDB also presented a virtual workshop presented by Anthony Sharp Jr., a Workforce Development Professional, national Workshop Leader, and Certified Digital Career Strategist. His well-received workshop attracted more than 85 participants who were able to ask him a multitude of questions after his presentation was completed. Sharp will continue to present virtual workshops prior to the remaining two 2026 quarterly recruitment events.

Greater Raritan One-Stop Operator Fernandel Almonor waits for job seekers to arrive prior to the start of the Experienced Talent Recruitment event conducted on April 30 in Flemington.

For the summer event, employers will again be available for informational discussions, and some employers will do on-site interviews. For these targeted events, registration is appreciated but not mandatory, unless a job seeker wants to be considered for an interview by some of the participating employers.  The event’s registration form will include an updated list of employers, and instructions for interview and resume sharing will accompany registration confirmation. Walk-ins are welcome.

For questions about the July recruitment as well as other local career programs, email info@thegrwdb.org.

About the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
The GRWDB oversees federally and state-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.