One-Stop system puts job resources under one roof.

Byline: John P. McDermott

It wasn't so long ago that a laid-off worker or a newcomer to the labor force had to really work at finding employment-related services in the Charleston region. At that point, the jobless were forced to traipse from office to office to find out which resources were available through local government agencies and to learn about openings and training opportunities.

That changed five years ago this month, when the Trident One-Stop Career System opened in a former manufacturing plant in North Charleston. As its name implies, the center brings the "one-stop shopping" approach to job training and recruitment. It caters to applicants and employers alike.

Since its formation, the local One-Stop program has helped 165,000 local residents with a variety of …