Looking for work? Looking to hire? This free Will County resource can help.

Michelle Stiff will never forget the Christmas Eve when she was 16.

Stiff was at a store with her mother, a single mom, when Stiff’s mother had a stroke and died. Stiff not only lost her last parent – her plans for the future were uprooted.

Stiff is now the director of the Workforce Service Division of Will County. And Stiff wants the community to know that programs are available in Will County to help people who are unemployed get back to work and making a living wage. In fact, a similar program for youth in Chicago when Stiff was 20 helped set her on the path to success.

“The program changed my life,” Stiff said. “And I’m hoping we can do that for other people.”

Stiff said Workforce Service Division of Will County has an integrated system that provides a variety of services in conjunction with partners to help job seekers and businesses. A quick glance at the Workforce Service Division of Will County website shows pages and pages of resources.

For instance, its resource room has an open computer lab with 11 computers, a copier and fax machine, software to help with resume development and keyboarding skills and assistance from staff to help create and revise resumes. Reserve a spot by calling 815-727-4444 and pressing “0.”

Free workshops are available in a variety of areas, including job search, Microsoft PowerPoint, networking, Microsoft Word, resume development, Microsoft Excel, the interview preparedness and LinkedIn.

“You can [also] learn how to transfer your skills from one industry to another and how to look for jobs online,” Stiff said.

Many of the workshops are offered in-person and remotely. Access remote workshops remotely through the Workforce Service Division of Will County Facebook page.

Job seekers.

Can’t make it to the Workforce Service Division of Will County’s main location at 2400 Glenwood Ave. in Joliet? Visit the Mobile Workforce Center, which goes to various locations in Will County, five days a week. For a monthly schedule, visit jobs4people.org/job-seekers/mobile-workforce-center.

Stiff said the Mobile Workforce Center’s downtown Joliet location just started in September and sees an average of 15 to 20 people each month. Sites are not picked randomly.

“We looked at the unemployment data by zip code to determine the biggest need,” Stiff said.

Sometimes people come out on purpose. And some randomly see the “big RV” sitting in a parking lot, Stiff said.

“Just out of curiosity, they inquire about our services and what we do,” Stiff said.

The job board has postings from Will County businesses seeking qualified applicants. Access the job board at jobs4people.org/job-seekers/job-board.

More job postings are available through the State of Illinois Department of Employment Security’s IlIllinoisJobLink.com. Access a brochure at jobs4people.org/media/1879/ides-ijl-job-seekers-brochure.pdf.

Job seekers can also meet with a career planner or certified professional résumé writer by emailing careerservices@jobs4people.org or calling 815-727-4444 and pressing “0.”

Workforce Service Division of Will County held weekly job fairs before the pandemic began and is gradually moving into holding them again. It held its first job fair for people with disabilities in Nov. 2 and will hold another one Jan. 25 in Frankfort, Stiff said.

Scholarships and on the job training may also be available for people seeking to work in one of the following industries: health care, manufacturing, professional/financial/information technology or transportation/distribution/logistics, Stiff said.

Future plans include specialized resource fairs for second chance citizens, which could include information on health care, housing, financial literacy and even expungement, which can often bar employment, she said.

Individuals who “have a record are some of the most committed and dedicated employees” and businesses are starting to realize it, Stiff said.

“I believe people do want to change,” Stiff said. “Sometimes people make mistakes when their young and don’t want to continue on that path. But now they have this record. So if they’re given an opportunity, I think they want to prove themselves.”

Stiff said 11 people who have come through some of the programs in the last eight to nine months have been second chance citizens.

“And some of them have qualified for scholarships,” Stiff said.

Job seekers can also pick up a “Job Fair in a Bag” (Will County job listings and job seeker resources) on Wednesdays. For information, call 815-727-4444 and press “0.”

People who are unemployed and homeless might qualify for certain programs, too, Stiff said. Adult education literacy courses are also available. Far too often, the community is often unaware of these programs, Stiff said.

“We are always brainstorming with our team to come up with more innovative ways to promote and attract new people,” Stiff said. “We send out email blasts to people who already know about us. But how do we get to people who do not know about us?”

Businesses

Businesses may post job openings on the job board at no charge. Registered users may view and respond to job seekers’ resumes.

The On the Job Training program provides reimbursements to businesses when training new employees. Grants to train existing employees are also available. For information about these two programs, contact Mary Gajcak at 815-727-5679 or mgajcak@willcountyillinois.com

Stiff’s story

Stiff said she went to live with family after her mother died, transitioning from living just with her mother to a house with “nine or 10 people.” At 20, Stiff dropped out of college because she couldn’t afford it.

“That’s why I came home,” Stiff said. “I was just lost.”

A friend told Stiff about the Chicago Jobs for Youth program. Stiff went for an assessment, found she qualified and, as a result of that program, worked for an accounting firm for many years.

“After I was working, I wanted to give back because I was so grateful for this opportunity,” Stiff said. “I was very good at math, so I returned to tutor young people getting their GED. I would go on my lunch break and help them out.”

Stiff later returned to college and studied education. She worked as an educator for 15 years. When Stiff saw the Workforce Service Division of Will County was looking for a director, Stiff knew it was the job for her.

“It was the only position I applied for,” Stiff said.

Stiff said she often shared her story with her students. She told them they are not the product of their environments; they have options and choices.

“You can choose to be a victim or a victor,” Stiff said. “I chose not to be a victim.”

For information, resources and programs, visit jobs4people.org or call 815-727-4444.