Indy Nonprofit Helps 200+ Return to Work
61 percent were long-term unemployed professionals
By Kenneth Hitchner
The Professional Service Group of Central New Jersey, the nation’s first employment community, has helped more than 200 unemployed professionals return to work since becoming an independent nonprofit.
During it first 22 months of operations, PSGCNJ has helped 227 members return to the workforce. In total, 61 percent were long-term unemployed, ranging from 27 weeks to 271 weeks.
“As we wait for the IRS to grant us 501(c)(3) status, we are determined to advance our mission and put New Jersey back to work,” said PSGCNJ Executive Director Kenneth Hitchner. “When our unemployed members come to us for help, they already are educated, experienced and accomplished. And now, 227 more professionals are employed once again.”
Since becoming an independent nonprofit, PSGCNJ has helped unemployed professional members re-enter the workforce who reside in several parts of New Jersey, including Somerset (122 re-employed members), Hunterdon (21), Morris (21), Union (20) and Middlesex (19) counties.
In 2013, 152 PSGCNJ unemployed professionals went back to work, compared to 95 in 2012. Sixty-eight percent returned to permanent positions last year.
PSGCNJ ‘‘landings’’ hit double-digits in nine months last year. The typically slow summer months yielded 41 landings during the 92 days in June, July and August. The holiday season also produced high numbers, as 30 unemployed members returned to work in November and December.
In 2012, a four-year study revealed that more than half of PSGCNJ “landed” members have gone back to work in fewer than 26 weeks, which is twice as fast as the rest of the United States during the worst recession of our lifetime. The research project uncovered that 54% of PSGCNJ’s “landed” members went back into the workforce in fewer than 26 weeks after joining the organization. In addition, 65% of members landed in fewer than 39 weeks. The historic project studied a sample of results from 426 unemployed individuals who went back to work from June 30, 2008 through April 29, 2013.
PSGCNJ became an independent nonprofit on May 26, 2012, the day after it was cut from the N.J. Department of Labor budget, which had funded 11 PSG chapters throughout the Garden State.
Dating back to its roots as a state program, PSGCNJ has helped more than 880 unemployed professionals return to work since June 2008. The organization will report updated statistics later this month.
About PSGCNJ
PSGCNJ is the nation’s first employment community that helps its unemployed, professional members advance their careers by putting them back into the workforce.
The nonprofit’s education program features Accelerated Career Training (ACT) workshops, resume review and mock interview classes. New programs, such as the Marketing Plan seminar and Improv for Business Communications, have been added to the public offerings.
The organization’s innovative workforce development program also drives the nonprofit’s success rate. To gain full access to PSGCNJ’s free services, members are required to join one of six business units that operate the corporation and donate their talent to advance the PSGCNJ mission.
To learn more, please visit psgcnj.org, and to contribute, click Give Now.