Business Services
Your Talent Partner for Today and Tomorrow
Find, Grow, Retain Talent.
At The WorkPlace, we help businesses find, train, and retain the right people—all at no cost to you. Our team provides customized workforce solutions to meet your immediate hiring needs and long-term talent goals. From recruitment to training and retention, we’re here to support your success.
Contact Us Today!
(203) 610-8572 or email mmorgan@workplace.org
Recruitment
build your competitive workforce
Layoff Aversion & Support
Labor Market Information
Recruitment
Your Connection to a Skilled Workforce
Finding the right people can be tough — especially when you’re running a small business. That’s where The WorkPlace comes in.
At no cost to you, we help employers find, train, and grow a team that supports your business goals. Our Business Services Team connects you with a large pool of qualified local job seekers and provides the training resources you need to keep your team strong.
Whether you’re hiring your first employee or expanding your staff, we’re here to make the process easier and more effective.
Solving Your Recruitment Challenges
Recruitment Support:
We act as an extra set of hands for your business — helping you find the right people faster. Our team works with you to understand your hiring needs and provides customized support to recruit and screen candidates who are ready to work.
We take the time to identify applicants with the right skills, experience, and attitude — so you can focus on running your business. From first interviews to job placement, we’ll help you build a reliable and motivated team.
Additional Support for Employers:
- Access to training and upskilling programs to strengthen your team
- Help with on-the-job training (OJT) and wage reimbursement programs
- Connections to local workforce and business development resources
- Support for diversity hiring, youth employment, and new industry talent pipelines
Build Your Competitive Workforce
1. Existing Employee Upskilling (Incumbent Worker Training)
Retain and elevate your workforce by investing in their growth. Through Connecticut’s statewide Training Fund program, we can help fund and customize training for both your new hires and current team. This initiative supports high-growth industries including Advanced Manufacturing & AI, IT & Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Construction, and Logistics by helping businesses adapt to technological shifts and critical skill needs.
By partnering with us, your business benefits from:
- Funding: Reimbursement of up to 80% of training costs (up to $10,000 per employee).
- Customized Curricula: Flexible training models tailored to your business needs, including short-term credentials, AI-enhanced instruction, and work-and-learn models (OJT & Apprenticeships).
- Enhanced Engagement & Growth: Higher productivity and retention by building clear career pathways for incumbent workers and accelerating new hire onboarding.
- Competitive Advantage: Specialized, industry-aligned skills to keep your business ahead in high-demand markets.
Approved Training Types & Models:
- Competency-Based Instruction:Â Training tied directly to recognized industry credentials.
- Accelerated Skills Training:Â Short-term programs designed for fast implementation.
- Tech-Enhanced Learning:Â AI-driven instruction and modern virtual simulations.
- Stackable Credentials:Â Modular learning paths aligned with long-term career progression.
- Work-and-Learn Models:Â Hands-on options, including Registered Apprenticeships, On-the-Job Training (OJT), and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT)
To be eligible, participating employers must operate within a targeted industry sector in the State of Connecticut while delivering training that directly aligns with industry skill requirements. Additionally, businesses are required to provide necessary training, outcome, and participant data for state reporting purposes and must successfully pass standard state compliance vetting regarding Unemployment Insurance Tax, Wage & Workplace Standards, and OSHA regulations.
2. Apprenticeship Program Development
Maintaining a competitive edge requires a workforce equipped with tomorrow’s skills. The WorkPlace is your strategic partner, offering customized, funded training programs designed to immediately close skill gaps, reduce recruitment costs, and drive business growth in high-demand sectors.
Stop waiting for the perfect candidate—start building them. Registered Apprenticeships are high-quality, structured programs designed by and for employers with a specialized focus on the unique technical needs of a specific job.
This powerful “earn as you learn” model provides you with:
- A Certified Talent Pipeline: A predictable source of skilled, loyal employees.
- Recruitment Savings: A highly cost-effective way to develop expertise internally, drastically reducing future hiring and onboarding costs.
- Industry Standardization: Certifications that guarantee high competency across your organization.
3. New Hire On-The-Job Training (OJT)
The most valuable training happens at your worksite. Our On-The-Job Training (OJT) program helps you seamlessly integrate new employees while compensating you for your investment.
- Financial Reimbursement: You are reimbursed for a significant portion of the new employee’s wages while they learn the specific skills, systems, and processes required for the role.
- Real-World Skills: Training occurs in the actual work environment, ensuring immediate productivity and role-specific mastery.
Layoff Aversion & Support
If your company is experiencing financial difficulties, we can assist in exploring alternatives to layoffs. If layoffs cannot be averted, our team can provide your company with the opportunity to help workers make a more-effective transition to new employment by conducting prior-to-layoff, on-site, early intervention sessions.
These sessions are designed to inform workers of the wealth of free services that are available to assist them in getting re-employed as quickly as possible. In addition, team members may be available to provide a series of on-site, mini-workshops which introduce workers to the basics of conducting a successful job search.
Top Growing Occupations In Our Service Area
Labor Market Information
Stay informed with the latest data on Connecticut’s economy and workforce. These curated resources offer clear, up-to-date information to help you make strategic hiring and business decisions
Connecticut Economic Digest
A monthly snapshot from the CT Department of Labor featuring employment trends, industry shifts, and regional comparisons — all in a digestible format with helpful charts.
Great for: Hiring trends, sector growth, and economic forecasts.
CT Data Collaborative Dashboards
Interactive, user-friendly dashboards showing workforce participation, job sector trends, wages, and more across Connecticut communities. Great for: Demographics, workforce planning, and equity insights.
Bridgeport-Stamford Labor Market Data – U.S. BLS
Detailed local labor market data including wages, employment levels, and job growth by sector from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Great for: Compensation planning, competitive analysis, and HR benchmarking.
New England Economic Indicators – Boston Fed
Monthly trends on hiring, wages, and economic performance across New England, including Connecticut-specific data and comparisons.
Great for: Multi-state employers and regional analysis.
https://www.bostonfed.org/data/data-tools/new-england-economic-indicators.aspx