Welcome to the Ocean County Achievement Center
The Ocean County Achievement Center is a collaborative partnership with Ocean County College, Ocean County PIC, Inc., Rutgers Transitional Education and Employment Management (T.E.E.M.) Gateway, and Goodwill’s Helms Academy. The Ocean County Achievement Center is hosted on OCC’s campus and provides free services to out-of-school young adults between the ages of 16 to 24. Through a comprehensive and individualized service plan, we address the academic, career, and financial goals of the participants.
The Work Readiness Assistance Program is funded through a grant provided by the Ocean County Department of Human Services and the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

Services provided by various community partners include:
- High school diploma preparation
- Career and entrepreneurial exploration
- Work readiness training
- On-the-job shadowing
- Leadership development
- Work experience opportunities
- Job placement
Additional supportive services are adult mentors, peer support, service learning projects, career days, career/occupational field trips, resource fairs, personal enrichment and growth, follow-up services, and life skills counseling.
Certificates & Programs
High school diploma preparation classes are offered on or off campus. Instruction is computerized and workshop-based, as well as individualized and textbook based. The High School Equivalency prep is offered three days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A personalized schedule is created for each participant to effectively reach their goals.
Participants will evaluate their current knowledge, skills and abilities in a series of assessments, followed by customer service skills development and targeted, entry-level, in-demand career exploration, as well as small business/entrepreneurship development. Participants will explore various career options, earn entry-level certifications, and develop skills for customer service interactions.
This certificate is a series of workshops that cover identifying barriers and coping skills, stress reduction, self-esteem, decision-making, cultural competency, anger management, and more.
Occupational and trade training could be available to you based on your career goals. Some examples are:
- Electrician
- Healthcare
- HVAC
- Technology
- Transportation
Service learning projects teach and build teamwork, leadership, and-interpersonal skills. Some examples of projects are:
- S.A.V.E. Animal shelter- working to help animals
- JBJ Soul Kitchen- feeding the community
- Cattus Island- keeping the park litter free
“The Only Person U Cheat Is U” program is a series of workshops to assist with developing and reinforcing a successful mindset, decision-making, and identifying actions to achieve their goals.
Helping those who experience challenging emotional situations to act on their own behalf, maintain wellness, and to improve the quality of their lives.
Participants learn how to develop a wellness plan identifying the five key concepts in this transitional stage of their life:
- Hope
- Personal responsibility
- Education
- Self-advocacy
- Support
Career Guidance
Job Placement
- Workplace skills such as time management, workers rights, and job safety
- Mock interview
- Assistance with employment applications and assessments
Job Readiness & Life Skills Counseling
- Adopting good habits
- Money management
- Dressing for success
- Paid on or off campus work experience
- Related to a career interest or an opportunity to build skills
Adult Peer Mentoring
- Career and education mentoring
- Provides extra support and guidance
- Meets for 1 – 2 hours a month
All services are FREE*
Outcomes:
- Gain Work Readiness Skills
- Develop Leadership and Communication Skills
- Earn a High School Diploma
- Access to Occupational Training
- Basic Understanding of Customer Service
- Experience On-the-Job-Shadowing
- Become Employed
*paid for by grant funding
Contact Us
Office Information:
Ocean County College
College Drive, Bldg #4, Room 109
Toms River, NJ 08754
732-255-0400 x 2354
AchievementCenter@Ocean.edu
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.