Now, Atlantic City residents who wish to train as casino table game dealers can do so for free, as confirmed by the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board this Monday.
A six-week course will be held at the Atlantic County One-Stop Career Center in Pleasantville, New Jersey, and there seem to be more courses planned as well. Atlantic County executive Dennis Levinson welcomed the opportunity and said that it was a perfect chance for residents to pick new skills for free. An average casino dealer in Atlantic City makes $70,000 a year.
Free Casino Table Dealer School Courses to Get Started
“These new dealers could be on casino floors before Memorial Day weekend,” Levinson effused. The Workforce Development Board is looking to ensure that anyone who wishes to participate in the training, and then pursue a career as a casino table game dealer may do so without any worries about the financial aspects of obtaining their licensure.
The county will cover both tuition costs as well as pay the licensing fee which the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement asks of newly-registered casino employees. All of this is part of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act, a measure that was passed in 2014 and was designed to offer training and tuition to US citizens in various counties and states, helping businesses find the workers they need.
The first course will be getting underway on Saturday, April 1 at the Atlantic County One-Stop Career Center. Registration for the class can take place over the phone at 609-485-0052 or by visiting the center in person during working hours. Spending on training dealers is a smart choice by the county, as there has been a growing hunger for qualified dealers not just in Atlantic City, but pretty much everywhere where there are casinos in the United States.
Health Scares, Pandemic Blues, and Difficulty Finding Qualified Workers
During the pandemic, many workers chose their health over finance and withdrew from the profession. Others were dispirited by the lack of support some companies showed, letting them fend for themselves during the nadir of the pandemic. Of course, there were many gaming companies who stepped up and spend to keep their workers, paying their socials and at least partial salaries to help tide them over.
There are still concerns about health, which has led to a broad movement against smoking on casino floors. This, however, casinos insist, would lead to 2,500 job losses in Atlantic City. The number is said to be exaggerated. Either way, more dealers are needed in Atlantic City right now.