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Published on March 19, 2024
Top Companies Linked with Top Talent Through Innovative Job Hub
Morris County introduces “Connect to Morris 2.0” (ConnecttoMorris.org), a revitalized online job platform that creates opportunities for area employers to connect with local talent for their hiring needs. The innovative online portal intends to simplify the hiring process while providing a wealth of resources to support employers, jobseekers, students, educational institutions and nonprofits.
The Challenges of the Present Workforce & Morris@Work
Reports from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show the county has an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent — a full point lower than New Jersey’s average of 5.2 percent — and continues to have the second lowest unemployment rate in the state, after Hunterdon County.
Yet, local businesses continue to face hiring hurdles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Connect to Morris was developed as a means of addressing these challenges.
“Our businesses face an ongoing challenge to attract and retain talent, despite Morris County’s competitive location to build and expand operations. Morris consistently ranks as one of the best places to live, work and raise a family. We have excellent schools, including one of the top-rated community colleges in the country. Our businesses are the backbone of our economy, so it’s essential they have the tools like Connect to Morris to recruit top talent not just within our county borders, but outside as well. I was impressed by the platform’s capabilities in a demo provided to the Commissioners by the team behind the launch,” said Commissioner Director Christine Myers.
Connect to Morris will operate jointly with Morris@Work, an employer-specific program that was relaunched last fall under a partnership between Morris County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) and the Morris County Economic Development Alliance (Alliance). The goal of Morris@Work has been to primarily provide solutions and support for employers to have more success in the job market. By joining Connect to Morris with Morris@Work, a broader community may now be served by leveraging the connections and capabilities of both the MCEDC and the Alliance.
One of the Morris@Work initiatives for 2023 was Morris County’s Business Roundtables: a series of focused discussions engaging professionals from the retail, hospitality, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and technology sectors. Discussions were aimed at examining the obstacles faced by both employers and jobseekers in the county.
“Thanks to the leadership and support from our county commissioners and the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, we were able to relaunch our Morris@Work initiative to shed light on the nuanced challenges within our labor market. The feedback from these roundtables has been instrumental in shaping solutions that allow us to compete in the marketplace more effectively so we can develop innovative programs that drive business attraction, expansion and retention,” said Meghan Hunscher, President & CEO of the MCCC and the MCEDC.
Survey findings from the 2023 Roundtables revealed:
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75% of organizations noted a lack of interpersonal communication skills among applicants.
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50% of organizations struggled to find what they considered to be qualified applicants.
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35% of organizations did not engage with local educational or workforce development groups for training.
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60% of respondents primarily used Indeed and LinkedIn for talent sourcing, signaling a need for a more localized talent acquisition strategy.
A Unified Approach to Workforce Development: The Partnership Between the MCEDC & the Alliance
The Connect to Morris platform is designed to address talent gaps identified through the employer-focused Morris@Work initiative by providing an expanded platform that offers services to nonprofits, jobseekers and students, as well as educational institutions.
“Connect to Morris represents our commitment to leveraging technology for community growth. This platform is more than just a job board: it’s a catalyst for meaningful connections between local businesses, nonprofits, education, and the talent within our county,” said Craig Schlosser, President & CEO of the Alliance and Tourism Bureau.
Connect to Morris offers a variety of applications, including:
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Job searches by title or location, with integration from the National Labor Exchange (NLx).
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Access to local resources, such as featured employers, employer best practices, industry trends, training programs, career outlooks and assessment tools.
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The ability for employers to post job opportunities and internships.
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Nonprofit organizations can post volunteer opportunities, internships, and open positions.
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Educational institutions can share upcoming training programs on the events calendar.
What’s Next for Connect to Morris
Planned updates include featured employer profiles and an enhanced volunteer search tool, underlining the community’s enthusiasm for volunteerism. This is especially timely as the county gears up for the 250th Anniversary of America’s founding.
Visit connecttomorris.org to discover how Morris County is transforming the local workforce landscape, one connection at a time!
About the Partnering Organizations
The Connect to Morris and Morris@Work initiative is a collaborative private-public partnership involving the MCEDC, the Alliance, MMU, Crothers Consulting, WorkDynamX, CP Engineering, Kraus Marketing, First Bank, the Northwest New Jersey Workforce Development Board and the NLx.
The MCEDC is a division of the MCCC, and the Alliance is an affiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit of the MCCC. For more information about the MCCC, the MCEDC and the Alliance & Tourism Bureau, visit morriscountyalliance.org.
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