Along with the recent name change, the Hudson Community Enterprises has a new focus. Known as the Occupational Center of Hudson County since 1957, the newly rechristened service firm, located in Jersey City, is expanding its efforts to connect clients with employers.
“In the past, we trained people for short-term positions,” said Hudson Community Enterprises President Maureen Walliser last week. “We’ve found that people need more training before they are ready for full-time employment.”
Walliser said Hudson Community Enterprises works with the disabled, both physically and mentally, and those coming off employment to develop employment skills. The HCE receives funding from the New Jersey Department of Labor, the State Division for the Developmentally Disabled and the school boards of the communities it operates in. HCE clients can learn basic computer skills such as spreadsheets, and also work on a Graduate Equivalency Diploma. At the same time, the HCE is looking to fulfill the subcontract needs of the Hudson County business community. Specifically, they would like to find more opportunities in the Jersey City financial district.
“Our services will include doing mailings for companies, recycling activities and inspection work,” Walliser explained. “We would like to provide the business community with both quality and quantity worker services.”
Along with benefiting the companies that work with HCE, the HCE clients will also benefit from the new approach, according to Walliser.
“The programs would provide our clients with real work experience,” Walliser said. “They will learn how to function in the work world and make a living at the same time.”
One of the programs HCE has already started is CIR.
“CIR means Clean It Right,” Walliser explained, noting that this division of HCE has just started operation with five employees. “Right now, CIR has three contracts in Jersey City, servicing medical and educational facilities. We are looking for countywide expansion.”
CIR’s manager, Cyrus Alpha, said the small company has been operating for five months, having just started with a new client, Urgent Care Medical Facilities in Jersey City.
“We have a training course in office cleaning that takes two weeks,” Alpha explained. “It’s a crash course. The students learn the difference between cleaning up at regular office setting and working in a medical environment.”
Alpha said the difference can be important.
“In the regular work situation, you empty baskets and dust things off,” Alpha said. “In medical the offices, you have to deal with blood-borne pathogens and clean up liquid that could harmful.”
To this end, students are instructed on what sort of disinfectants are used to clean different areas, along with steps for personal protection to keep from being contaminated.
“Working in the medical offices is not as relaxed a mood as working in the regular offices,” Alpha commented.
Alpha noted that the workers in the CIR program also learn how to operate office maintenance equipment, such as high speed buffers, carpet extractors and shampooers.
Walliser said HCE is using its new subcontracting services to leverage its funding from outside sources. Among those donors are Public Service Electric and Gas, which has helped the HCE out financially.
“This is a really great program,” said PSE&G public relations representative Rich Dwyer. “The HCE is helping the community and the business community. It is a win-win for all parties.”
Dwyer noted that in the past, potential clients for HCE’s services would have gone to work in the area’s toothpaste or pharmaceuticals factories, but those industries have since dried up here.
“We’re looking to fulfill a niche market,” said Walliser. “The same opportunities are out there, but they are located in different places.”
One of the niche markets HCE hopes to service soon is the need for document shredding.
“We are seeking out businesses that would need skills in automated disposal.”
As Walliser envisions the documents shredding company, a mobile shredding truck would visit an assortment of companies in the financial district in Jersey City and shred documents on site.
“They would do the work in the company’s parking lot,” Walliser stated. “There would be shredding machines and bailers included. The shredded documents would be would also be hauled away by the workers.”
Walliser said HCE is also looking to expand on-location operations of the company.
“We would like to open a storefront operation next door to our offices at 780 Montgomery St.,” said Walliser. “At one point, we had a print shop which supplied St. Peters College.”
Walliser hopes the HCE will form successful partnerships with the Jersey City and Hudson County business communities.
“We are looking into the needs of the businesses on the waterfront that will dovetail with our clients’ needs,” said Walliser.
For more information on the Hudson Community Enterprises, call (201) 434-3303. The Web address is www.hcefirstsource.org.