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Morris County proclaims National Disability Employment Awareness Month; workforce board outlines grants, apprenticeships
Summary
Morris County commissioners proclaimed October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Beth Rogers of the Workforce Development Board described recent grants, employer partnerships and apprenticeship pilots that aim to expand hiring and training for people with disabilities.
Morris County’s Board of Commissioners on Oct. 8 proclaimed October 2025 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month and recognized the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Director Salin read the proclamation and invited Beth Rogers, executive director of the Workforce Development Board of Northwest New Jersey, to accept it.
Rogers told commissioners the board has increased outreach and employer partnerships in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties. She said an Oct. 1 kickoff event drew more than 50 participants and that area employers have expanded inclusive hiring: “They hire over, I think they have over 23 individuals now,” Rogers said, describing one Parsippany distribution center that employs people with disabilities on-site and has worked with local high schools.
Rogers described two recent grant awards. An adult literacy grant—one of six statewide workforce boards to receive the award—supports English-language training in partnership with Literacy New Jersey and Atlantic Health System and embeds training with employers so newly hired workers enter a nine-week foundational program. A second digital literacy grant targets WorkFirst customers receiving TANF and SNAP to help participants gain job-application and digital skills.
The workforce board is also piloting career and apprenticeship programs with County College of Morris (CCM). Rogers said high-school cohorts travel to CCM for credential programs—students earn manufacturing certifications such as OSHA and NIMS—while other pilots with Zuifall Health (as described to the board) convert training into registered apprenticeship pathways for medical and dental assistant roles.
Rogers highlighted rapid-response work after layoffs, citing Siemens as an example where the board sought to connect displaced workers to hiring employers. She also provided service metrics: the board supported 38 businesses and 136 individuals last year, and in the current quarter reported 11 businesses and 47 individuals served; staff conducted over 4,000 assessments and held orientations for more than 1,100 people.
Commissioners applauded the board’s award recognition from the New Jersey Department of Labor and encouraged continued employer engagement. The proclamation was accepted and a group photo followed. The meeting moved on to other county business without any formal votes on the resolutions listed on the work-session agenda.
