Walton Works is trying to lend job seekers a helping hand with its new Workforce Wednesday initiative.
The new program — presented in partnership with the city of Monroe, the Walton County government and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision — is designed to give those in need of a job an extra boost in finding the right position in the community to meet their needs.
“Workforce Wednesdays are for anybody looking for a local job,” Dessa Morris, workforce development director for the Development Authority of Walton County, said. “It’s to make the job search less intimidating and focus on great local careers.”
The first Workforce Wednesday event occurred earlier in the month and is set to occur twice a month from 1-4 p.m. at Monroe City Hall. Another one is scheduled for Feb. 14 and occurring every other week after that.
Morris said they had 18 people come to the first event.
“We were very pleased with the attendance and look to grow participation,” Morris said. “We want it be a great service for everyone.”
Each Workforce Wednesday will work to prepare job seekers for connecting with companies looking to hire. Services will include resume building, application assistance and interview preparation, as well as a 15-minute workshop from the city of Monroe’s human resources department, “Job Ready in 15: What It Takes to Get the Job,” which will occur at 2 p.m. each session.
Morris said multiple employers are hiring throughout the local area, including the various city and county governments, as well as industrial plants, distribution centers and other local businesses such as CertainTeed, General Mills, Goodyear, Meta, Piedmont Walton, Takeda, Walmart Distribution Center, Walton EMC and Walton Press. Some are hiring a few at a time, while others are looking for dozens of workers at any given time.
“We’re here to help people find what’s available to make the job search easier,” Morris said. “We’ll help job seekers find information and help them apply.”
Morris said they’ve scheduled sessions through June and hope the response will merit more after that.
“We’re ready to keep going,” Morris said. “We want to give a good try. This is just a conversation starter, to make things easier and help them find what they need. Everyone can find an opportunity here.”