pdavis@queenscourier.com
The city has placed 20,620 New Yorkers in jobs since the beginning of this year – already surpassing the 20,000 goal Mayor Michael Bloomberg set for this year.
During his State of the City speech this year, Bloomberg set the 20,000-job placement goal, which was an increase from the record high 17,000 placements the city had in 2008. Currently, the city is on pace to place 23,000 people in jobs this year.
“City government can’t end the national recession, but these job placements show we can make a real difference for individuals and families,” Bloomberg said at 1010 WINS 5-Borough Business Breakfast in Brooklyn on Thursday, November 19. “They are the latest indication that there are businesses in all five boroughs that are growing and hiring, and we’re doing everything we can to support them.”
Of the 20,620 job placements thus far, Queens had the most with 6,669 placements, and the Bronx came in second with 5,362. During the past year, the city’s Department of Small Business Services (SBS) has increased its hours at the Workforce1 Career Centers, created new, sector-based workforce centers and focused on identifying job opportunities in growth industries.
“Unlike other workforce systems in the nation, we work directly with businesses to identify employment opportunities and link the best candidates to these jobs,” said SBS Commissioner Robert Walsh. “Understanding the needs of the businesses in our communities and our direct relationship with jobseekers are the reasons we have reached today’s milestone of placing a record number of New Yorkers in jobs.”
In June of 2008, the city started its first sector-based career center – the Workforce1 Transportation Career Center in Jamaica. Since its opening, the center has placed more than 1,500 workers in jobs.
Meanwhile, just last month, the city opened the second sector-based center – this one a Workfocre1 Healthcare Career Center at LaGuardia Community College. There, staff will connect residents to advance training and employment opportunities in healthcare – a field that is still seeing increased job opportunities.
In addition to creating these sector-based centers, the city has grown and expanded the amount of services the Workforce1 Career Centers provide. The centers can find and prepare for employment with free services, including career counseling; advice on how to interview for a job; assistance creating resumes and cover letters; job placement services; career workshops; employer recruitment events; and connection to occupational skills training.
For more information on the Queens Workforce1 Career Center located at 168-25 Jamaica Avenue on the 2nd Floor, call 718-557-6755, or the LaGuardia Community College Workforce1 Career Center located at 29-10 Thomson Avenue, Room C-400 on the 4th Floor, call 718-609-2130.
