Employment First

Eligibility

Once the application is received, an appointment is scheduled for an interview with an Eligibility Specialist to determine eligibility. The interview can be completed by phone or in person. At that time, you may be referred to the Employment First orientation, which is a required step to receive Food Assistance benefits. You will need to attend an orientation within 14 days of the interview, where you will hear about all of the great resources available to you and your family. This is where we will start talking about your hopes, dreams and goals as well as services and expectations. Then, we will help you create a plan for achieving some of your goals, which will require your active participation monthly.

Orientations are held each Monday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Laramie Building, 3500 Illinois Ave. Golden, CO 80401. 

Programs & Services

After the orientation, you can access these great resources. Talk with your Career Specialist for further details.

Job Skills Workshops

Through Jefferson County Human Services, the Business & Workforce Center, a partner of the American Job Center network, provides quality training, tools and resources to assist individuals in their pathway to employment and personal growth. Whether you are currently unemployed, under-employed or simply looking to change jobs, attending these workshops will help you to become fully prepared to secure and advance your career. Training is free but space is limited. All workshops (except where noted) are held in the Laramie Building located at 3500 Illinois Street, Golden, Colorado.

Before you can register for any workshop, however, you must register in Connecting Colorado. Once you have registered in Connecting Colorado, you may sign-up for workshops by creating a separate user identification and password.

Work Experience (Workfare)

As part of the program, you will gain work experience through volunteering a designated number of hours each month. While this is a requirement to continue your Food Assistance, this is a great opportunity to gain new skills and make good connections, on your path to a dream job. You may choose your own location or access our list of more than 300 sites.

Tuition Assistance

Paying your bills while going to school can be difficult. We may be able to help with your tuition costs! Talk to your Career Specialist about how to access tuition assistance.

Support Groups

To help you be successful, we will meet monthly to review your progress, collect your timesheet, and provide additional resources. While monthly participation is required to continue receiving Food Assistance, it will be helpful on your path to your dream job.

Supportive Services

We know you are counting every penny to make ends meet for your family.  Extra or unexpected expenses can often cause you to delay achieving a goal. We want to you to be successful in your participation in Colorado Works so support is available for transportation, interview or work clothing, getting birth certificates or other documents, earning certifications and/or General Educational Development (GED) or English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. In some circumstances, support may be available for rental assistance, storage fees, or vehicle repairs. You must be actively participating and meeting program and personal goals to be considered for Supportive Services.

Employment First in Jefferson County is not a program of Jefferson County Workforce Center. If you have an active case and need more information contact your case manager or call 303-271-4006.