JOB CENTER BUSY
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 -- 11:46 AM
As the economy worsens, one downtown Neillsville office has never been busier."There was kind of a dramatic increase right after Christmas," says Jody Connor with the Clark Job Center, "We probably doubled our business."
They offer a number of services, including job searches, resume help, career planning and counseling and tuition help for those headed back to school.
While we?ve been stung by some major layoffs?like Cummins and Leeson?others fly under the radar.
"A large number of employers are letting at least some people go. It's a few here, a few there," Connor notes, "Some are being put on an indefinite layoff status, with the idea, if business picks up, they will be brought back. With the current environment, some of those will actually become permanent layoffs."
SILVER LINING?
Some people may use unemployment as an opportunity to go back to school and could find themselves in a stronger position when the economy picks up again.
"We've had people come in and say, 'You know, I didn't know it at the time, but losing that job was the best thing that ever happened to me,'" Connor explains, "This is a tough way to get that motivation, but there are people who landed on their feet and do quite well."
Connor has set up a series of informational meetings for recently laid off workers. He?s calling them ?Coffee and Careers.?
These meetings will be held at:
[list][*]Abbotsford City Hall the second Thursday of the month from 11 to noon[*]Thorp Library the third Thursday of the month from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.[*]Neillsville Job Center the fourth Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.[/list]
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.