During a recent Job Information Meeting at Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center organized by Assemblyman William Scarborough in collaboration with NYC Business Solutions (NYCBS), Corporate Account Manager Huan DeRiggs, guest speaker, discussed the many jobs he recruits for businesses.
Scarborough said that the NYCBS has jobs and positions that should be filled. “They have training and grants to give you the training for free. This is a great resource in our community that we should be taking advantage of,” he said.
DeRiggs said they have more jobs than they do qualified applicants. He outlined the services offered to jobseekers by the Workforce1 Industrial and Transportation Career Center. They have hundreds of positions for commercial drivers, dispatchers, mechanics, machinists, engineers, plumbing/HVAC, ticket agents, customer service representatives, and much more. For job applicants who have the skills for their targeted job, their employment professionals will connect them with a position with transportation and manufacturing companies, such as Delta Airlines, Greyhound, Linda Tools, Inc. and others who recruit from their center. They hold regular recruitment events at their offices every other day.
“All our positions pay more than minimum wage,” DeRiggs said, and have benefits. He recently held recruitment events for an airline for airplane deicers, for Fresh Foods Direct and for a chauffeur transportation company. The license for a chauffeur costs $180 but applicants can make $50,000 in the first year. He has jobs for construction carpenters, dispatchers, customer service, and retail sector jobs. For maritime positions, he needs qualified people who know ocean import export and bills of lading. He will help seniors find jobs, mostly in the retail sector, customer service or security.
DeRiggs said he has placed many veterans, who have acquired expertise in their years of military service and has placed many mechanics who have dealt with heavy equipment.
If the job requires skills the applicants do not have, they can enroll them in no-cost training or education programs for commercial and non-commercial drivers licenses, C&C machinists, auto mechanics, bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, clinical medical assistant, certified nursing assistants, computer support specialists, armed and unarmed security, to name just a few. Once employed, they can also find courses for career advancement that can fit into their work schedule, including courses that can be accessed from home. Counselors in their Education Center will help develop individual learning plans.
His organization also also offers specialized workshops, which are taught by industry experts. These workshops will give applicants the skills that transportation and manufacturing companies need, such as safety and security, applied mathematics, work place reading, blue print reading and business communications. These classes include computer skills, interviewing skills and building resumes to help job applicants increasing their chances of getting hired and become a more valuable employee once they are hired.
When job seekers come to their center, they are given an orientation and if they are ready, they are sent to an employer to be hired. DeRiggs explained that when he works with applicants, he wants to know what are their career goals. He tries to find out what they are truly passionate about so that applicants not only get the job, but also retain the job.
DeRiggs urged anyone looking for employment or advancement to stop by the Workforce1 Industrial and Transportation Center, located at 168-46 91st Ave. in Jamaica and register or call 718-577-2194 for information. All these services are free and already paid for by your tax dollars.
