SCORE and NJ Skills USA Expand Relationship and Mentor/Sponsor Students

SCORE Central Jersey Chapter, and NJ SkillsUSA are announcing the expansion of their relationship to bring increased focus on building customer services skills. 

For several years, SCORE Central Jersey Chapter members have worked with NJ SkillsUSA to judge the annual statewide Customer Service competition.  SCORE members play the part of demanding customers, all seeking to simultaneously gain the attention of a lone customer service representative, played by the SkillsUSA student.  According to Nancy Bukovina, SCORE mentor, the students are unflappable—and amazingly inventive.  “I’ve done everything short of fake a heart attack.  These students were unfailingly polite and inventive in filling what I know were unreasonable requests”. 

SCORE Central Jersey Chapter will broaden their relationship with NJ Skills USA to include mentoring students.  Additionally, they will provide support for the NJ Customer Service winner to participate in the national Skills USA competition which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri in June. 

On behalf of the nearly 10,000 members of New Jersey SkillsUSA, Peter Carey, State Director expressed his appreciation for the SCORE support of the Customer Service competition (held annually during the New Jersey SkillsUSA Championships):  “We are grateful to all of business partners who contribute their time, energy, and resources to SkillsUSA. It is rewarding to know that our partnership demonstrates how the business community can work together with SkillsUSA on behalf of the students who will become the future workforce of America.”

Arthur Divak, SCORE Chapter Chair, cited the common interests of the two organizations:  “SkillsUSA’s mission is to help its members become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens.  SkillsUSA also promotes an understanding of the free enterprise system.  This directly complements SCORE’s role as counselors to America’s small businesses.  Score volunteers provide free mentoring services to new and existing businesses.”

About the Organizations:

NJ SkillsUSA, is based at the Somerset County Vocational Technical School, 14 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater.  The state director is Peter Carey.  For additional information on the organization, its mission, and 2014 programs, please visit the website at http://www.nj-skillsusa.org/.

SCORE Central Jersey is based at Raritan Valley Community College, 14 Vogt Drive, Bridgewater.  For additional information on SCORE, to schedule a mentoring appointment, or to volunteer as a mentor, please visit their website at http://centraljersey.score.org.