TRENTON – The state Labor and Workforce Development Department today said laid-off pharmaceutical industry employees can still take advantage of a $3.6 million National Award Grant awarded to the state last year that is designed to help them retrain to land another job.
“We still have funding available for short-term education and training grants at many colleges and universities in New Jersey to help this special segment of our workforce transition into the smaller, but viable and emerging bio-science industry,” state Labor Commissioner Harold J. Wirths said in a statement.
The laid-off workers can use services such as skills assessment, career counseling and skills training that the funds provide. Applicants could receive as much $5,000 toward furthering their education.
New Jersey is known for its large paharmaceutical industry presence and is home to some 300 biotech jobs.
But in a report by the Healthcare Institute of N.J. released at the end of 2010, the trade group said the state lost approximately 4,900 life sciences jobs in 2009 due to mergers and cutbacks.
Employees laid off from the following companies during the specified dates and specified locations are eligible for the grants. They are:
*Amicus Therapeutics
Cedar Brook Drive,
Cranbury, N.J. 08512
Jan. 1, 2010 or later
*Bristol-Myers Squibb
77 Scudders Mill Road
Plainsboro, N.J. 08536
Jan. 27, 2010, or later
*Hoffman-La Roche
340 Kingsland St.
Nutley, N.J. 07110
June 30, 2010 or later
*Johnson & Johnson
1 Johnson & Johnson Plaza
New Brunswick, N.J. 08933
Jan. 8, 2010 or later
*Merck & Co.
2015 Galloping Hill Road
Kenilworth, N.J. 07033
Feb. 9, 2010 or later
*Merck & Co.
126 East Lincoln Ave
Rahway, N.J. 07065
Feb. 16, 2010 or later
*Pfizer
865 Ridge Road
Monmouth Junction, N.J. 08852
Jan. 31, 2010 or later
*Pfizer
9 Deerpark Drive
Monmouth Junction, N.J. 08852
Jan. 31, 2010 or later
For additional information, contact:
Morris County One-Stop Career Center
Paul Cecala 973-285-6880 x233
pcecala@co.morris.nj.us
or
Somerset County One-Stop Career Center
Elizabeth Tong 908-541-5780 x6260
tong@co.somerset.nj.us
