American Job Center Celebrates Grand Opening of New Location
Published on February 23, 2023
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird was joined today by U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to celebrate the grand opening of the new location of the American Job Center of Lancaster and Saunders Counties (AJC) and said that career opportunities provided by the AJC will strengthen the local economy.
"My administration invested in building this new, expanded, and more accessible American Job Center in the heart of downtown Lincoln to ensure that even more of our community members are empowered to enjoy meaningful, financially secure careers," said Mayor Gaylor Baird. "Our investment in the new AJC supports employers, helping them connect with the skilled workers they need to grow their businesses and our local economy. "
Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird and Secretary Walsh were John Albin, Nebraska Department of Labor Commissioner; Sherla Post, Greater Lincoln Workforce Development Board Chairperson; Matt Mason, Nebraska State Poet; Israel Kouakou and Sarah Al-Hilfy Leon-Panfilo, Mayor’s Youth Employment Program participants.
“The Labor Department proudly supports nearly 2,400 American Job Centers across the country, and we are excited to see this new, expanded center serving people right here in this community,” Secretary Walsh said. “As President Biden has said, we are building our economy from the bottom up and the middle out, and that starts with providing opportunities. Whether you are looking for a better job, want to change careers or are just joining the workforce, American Job Centers can help you get there.”
The relocation and renovation was made possible by $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. The center serves about 400 residents a month and provides all services at no cost. In its most recent program year, the AJC served 4,547 job seekers.
The Center offers four main coaching and training programs:
- Adult Program for those ages 18 and older
- Dislocated Worker Program for those affected by a layoff or closure
- Youth Employment Support Services for those age 14 to 24.
- Ticket to Work program to help those who receive disability benefits return to work or begin working for the first time
Post said the new location is more visible, accessible, and streamlined to better serve customers’ needs.
“The American Job Center is a one-stop shop to help job seekers in Lancaster and Saunders County get back to work, find a better job, change careers, or enter the workforce for the first time,” Post said.
Post said the new center features a more family- and client-friendly design that includes natural light, children’s’ play area, breastfeeding room and phone booths that enable clients to make job-search calls privately.
New conference and interview rooms allow clients to meet potential employers and career planners. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as free Wi-Fi, webcams, televisions and iPads, the rooms allow clients to interview for potential jobs in person or virtually.
The new center is accessible via four different bus routes. In addition to street parking, parking is available directly above the center. Joining AJC at the new location are Equus Workforce Solutions, Job Corps, National Able Network, Nebraska Department of Labor, and Nebraska VR.
Mason read a poem he wrote for the event entitled “We Go To Work,” which in part, reads, “…we work for one another, with one another, we build a city, a neighborhood, a community, a state; we are artists, this is the masterpiece we make.”
For more information about the AJC, 1330 “N” St., visit ajc.lincoln.ne.gov.