The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) is launching Phase 2 of the Energy Transition Act Displaced Worker Assistance Program, aimed at helping people who lost their jobs in connection with the closure of the San Juan Generating Station and Westmoreland Mine. Phase 2 will be available to eligible displaced workers who have not retired and will give participants the option of choosing between a one-time wage differential payment or a program that will support training, education or apprenticeship for up to two years.
Unemployment Insurance Tax & Claims System Available Online
All New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ (NMDWS) offices, including the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Operations Center, will be closed on Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in October 2023, Up from 3.7 percent in September and up from 3.5 percent in the previous year. The national unemployment rate in October was 3.9 percent, up from 3.8 percent in September and up from 3.7 percent in October 2022. Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 16,700 jobs, or 1.9 percent, between October 2022 and October 2023.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued a proclamation recognizing November 13–19, 2023 as National Apprenticeship Week, commending the proven, industry-driven training model providing a critical talent pipeline that can train and build up our workforce.
Be Pro Be Proud Program Engages Young People With Skilled Technical Career Paths
The New Mexico Center for Economic Opportunity (NMCEO), the education, charitable, and research 501(c)3 foundation of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) launched Be Pro Be Proud (BPBP) program in Los Lunas, New Mexico at Los Lunas High School. The program is designed to connect New Mexico’s youth to technical careers and skilled trades through simulators and virtual reality experiences.