Education Leading to Opportunity
Submitted by The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board
Residents of Hunterdon and Somerset counties have access to thousands of free online learning courses through SkillUp Greater Raritan, a new initiative of the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board.
Now, any resident of Hunterdon and Somerset counties can sign up in the Metrix E-Learning System, which gives participants access to a vast catalog of courses reflecting marketable skills businesses in the region say they want their employees to have.
These include Microsoft and Adobe programs, Project Management, Help Desk and workplace behavior and customer service classes.
“Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board system partners already offer a variety of career coaching, job recruitment and workshops aimed at helping job seekers and those in lower-wage positions embark on sustainable employment pathways,” said Paul Grzella, GRWDB director. “We see Skillup Greater Raritan as a way to introduce more residents to our services, and provide them with a 24/7 resource for personal and professional development.”
To sign up, go to thegrwdb.metrixlearning.com/. The link also can be found under the Resources tab of thegrwdb.org/ and on the websites for Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
The initiative provides a free license to users of the SkillSoft program for six months or 180 days. SkillUp Greater Raritan participants have access to a catalog of more than 4,000 courses that includes IT and software lessons, project management, human resources, banking, retail, hospitality and communication skills.
The Metrix E-Learning System was introduced by the Greater Raritan One Stop Career Training Center in the spring of 2019 as a tool to use for participants in special-population youth and Workfirst New Jersey programs. The aim was to help participants in those programs learn new skills and earn certificates or prepare for future certification work.
In the late fall of 2019, the executive board of the GRWDB decided to expand this opportunity to all residents of the two counties it serves; direct participants in the One Stop system also will continue to have access to the training programs. This includes unemployed adults, out-of-school unemployed youth, TANF and SNAP client, those with disabilities and those in reentry programs.
After signing up, the online learning platform offers tools to assess an individual’s knowledge and skills needed for in-demand careers. The portal provides guidance on which training courses to take to close any identified knowledge or skill gaps, and connects participants to hiring employers through Indeed.com.
Participants receive digital badges or certificates as they complete each training session, which typically includes four to five segments.
Because this is an e-learning portal, registrants can go through their selected courses at their own pace and as their schedules permit. The SkillUp Greater Raritan platform is available on desktop computers as well as digital devices.
SkillUp Greater Raritan can help different populations in different ways. For example, someone who may be currently employed but looking for a better job, or currently working two jobs and would like to move to one, could use the training modules to add to their skill base.
To sign up for SkillUp Greater Raritan, residents of Hunterdon and Somerset counties go to thegrwdb.mextrixlearning.com. The link also can be found under the Resources tab of thegrwdb.org/and on the websites for Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
For more information, agencies or individuals also may call the Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board staff office at 908-541-5790 or email info@thegrwdb.org.
