Jobseekers are offered access and opportunities during Clocked In at Jackson Medical Mall
By Simeon Gates | Originally published by Mississippi Today
Allison Palmer is looking to get her life back on track. She lives in a women’s shelter and is hoping to find a job to support herself and her husband, who is staying in a men’s shelter.
“I just want to be able to stand on my own two feet,” she said.
Palmer, 55, was one of dozens of jobseekers attending Clocked In, a free workforce expo that aimed to connect employers, jobseekers and community organizations to help people find work, training and other resources.
Deep South Today, Mississippi Today and the Foundation for the Mid South hosted the event, which took place Tuesday at the Jackson Medical Mall. It was made possible by a grant from the Foundation for the Mid South’s Moving Mississippians Forward Through Employment Initiative.
Another jobseeker, Maailyah Davis, 19, attended with her mother and sister. All three were looking for work. She said she’d been looking for a job for a month, and had an interview coming up. She also said she has had trouble finding job openings. Davis, who has a son, said she’s seeking a part-time job.
“I want to spend time with him but still have a job to make money for him,” she said.
Davis is planning to return to school in the fall and work while being a student.
Palmer said her main challenge is her lack of transportation. She hasn’t been in the job market for eight years, but said she is optimistic.
“I’ve talked to a couple people, and they have some opportunities that I think would be good for me,” she said.
Employers and organizations from a variety of fields had tables at the event where they were offering opportunities and resources.
Edd Blake is the coordinator of business outreach for MCA Powered by NeXT, which provides free training programs for people who want to enter the tech industry.
Blake said events like Clocked In are important for breaking down barriers.
“It’s all about access,” he said.
Lindsay Stevens, the regional manager at SURGE Staffing, echoed the same point. She said that people in central Mississippi often lack resources.
“I see them come into our offices every day, and they’re looking for jobs, but they don’t know how to apply for jobs or other resources that they may need to gain good employment,” she said.
Donte Jones, director of reentry at MAGCOR, a nonprofit organization that provides support services and job training for people who are currently and formerly incarcerated. He said he wanted to raise awareness about his organization.
“Sometimes they’re a little shy about coming out and trying to find out information because they’ve been told certain things or stigmas or barriers are out there,” Jones said of people who had been incarcerated.
“But there’s a lot of programs and services out there to make sure that they get out and stay out and do well and become tax-paying, law-abiding citizens.”
The expo also featured live conversations with community leaders and Mississippi Today employees about challenges facing Mississippi’s job market and economy.
This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Original Article
