September 22, 2010 ... The Garden State Employment & Training Association (GSETA) selected Salvatore Mastroeni as recipient of its 2010 “Harry L. Wheeler Professional Service Award.” This award honors a GSETA member who has made significant contributions to the Association and has demonstrated a long-term commitment to New Jersey’s Workforce Development system. Mr. Mastroeni recently completed a two-year term as President of GSETA. As such he currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Association’s board. The award was presented at the 28th annual GSETA Conference held on September 22-23, 2010 in Atlantic City.

GSETA is a private, not for profit organization, which serves as a forum for New Jersey’s workforce development professionals. Its goal is to share expertise and promote professional development. Members include the Directors and Administrators of the state’s publicly funded employment and training programs, including local Workforce Investment Boards, Workforce Investment Act, Workforce Development Program, Welfare-to-Work, Work First New Jersey, School-to-Careers, Youth Opportunities, and other employment and training initiatives.

One of the GSETA’s main projects is the annual Workforce Conference, which brings together national, state, and local stakeholders of the workforce system. This includes individuals from the fields of education, training, employment, organized labor, economic development, human services, and the private sector, who showcase projects in workforce development and related services. The conference is also used to acknowledge individuals throughout the State of New Jersey who have successfully overcome serious personal barriers to change their lives and begin the journey toward socio-economic self-sufficiency. Approximately 35 scholarship awards are presented each year to such individuals, with funds raised through the conference. Two professional awards are also given out to individuals in the field who have demonstrated exemplary service to workforce development.