Congressman Lynn Westmoreland hosted a job fair Sept. 29 at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville.
The event was very well attended, with 31 employers and more than 600 job seekers present, according to Westmoreland spokesman Leslie Shedd. Three people at the job fair were hired on the spot.
“There’s a lot of talk in Washington about creating jobs, but I know that the people of Georgia’s Third District prefer action,” stated Westmoreland. “That’s why I decided to host this job fair. Times are tough right now and I know there are some people out there who feel frustrated by the job search. They aren’t sure how they are going to put food on the table for their family or pay their bills.
“But we had more than 30 companies at this job fair, all of whom are looking for new employees. I hope this job fair showed those people who are looking for a job that it’s not hopeless – there are still jobs out there,” Westmoreland said.
I want to thank all the employers who participated, as well as Newnan-Peachtree City Area Employer Committee, Newnan Career Center of the Georgia Department of Labor, and New Hope Baptist Church for their help. I look forward to having another event like this soon. There is still a lot of work to be done to address the unemployment rate but I hope this job fair was a step in the right direction.”
Georgia’s unemployment rate for the month of August was 10.1 percent, higher than the 9.1 percent national average.
At the fair, job seekers met with employers and handed out resumes. They also learned about resources available to them through the Georgia Department of Labor and outreach programs like the Goodwill Industry Career Center. The Georgia Department of Labor provides computers for online job searches, fax and copy machines for job applications, and assistance with writing resumes.
Many of the more than 600 attendees were surprised at the number of employers currently hiring and the jobs that are still available. Terry Matheson, one of the job seekers attending the fair, looking for a job in the industrial field, wrote:
“I found the job fair very enlightening to the fact that there are jobs to be found. All one has to do is look,” stated Matheson.
In addition to the fair itself, 40 attendees signed up to participate in a job skills training class for six weeks prior to the job fair. The class provided job seekers with training in resume writing and lessons on how best to interview for a job.
