(FLINT, Mich., Aug. 6, 2015) – The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce is offering Career Edge, a series of workshops designed to help adults — particularly the unemployed — prepare for the job market. Participants who attend all four workshops, which kick off Aug. 11, will be invited to attend the Chamber’s job fairs in September and April.
“While we’re coming out of the Recession, there are still many people without jobs,” said Tim Herman, CEO, Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. “Our goal is to help give those individuals who are unemployed or underemployed an advantage when searching, applying and interviewing for jobs.”
Research shows that job seekers who participate in workforce training programs are nearly three times more likely to secure a job than those who do not. Those odds increase if the training includes certain components, such as teaching job search skills, improving self-presentation and encouraging proactivity — all topics highlighted within the Career Edge curriculum, according to Rhetta Hunyady, Vice President, Education & Training, Flint & Genesee Chamber.
“Career Edge doesn’t guarantee anyone a job,” Hunyady said. “But it does provide job seekers with critical tools, including the ability to write a targeted cover letter and handle oneself during an interview. These workshops are a major stepping-stone in their career development.”
Each workshop will be offered six times between now and the next Chamber Job Fair, scheduled for Sept. 18. The three-hour courses include:
- Laying the Foundation: Focuses on attitude, business etiquette and communication. Offered twice on Aug.11, Aug. 25 and Sept. 1
- Job Search Preparation: Includes resume development and job application completion. Offered twice on Aug.13, Aug. 27 and Sept. 3
- Interview Preparation: An emphasis on types of interviews, skills assessment and role playing. Offered twice on Aug.18, Sept. 1 and Sept. 8
- Keeping a Job: Focuses on dependability, ethics, teamwork and sphere of influence. Offered twice on Aug.20, Sept. 3 and Sept. 10
Participants may take any or all of the workshops, in any order, at their convenience. Those who invest in the full 12-hour series will be better prepared to navigate the job market, Hunyady said.
“These workshops are very in-depth, to the point of explaining who should sit first during an interview and whether or not you should ask for a drink of water,” Hunyady said. “Participants should be sure to bring note-taking materials as the courses will cover a lot of ground.”
Workshops will be hosted at the Chamber as well as Baker College of Flint’s Engineering & Technology Center, Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, New Creation Church of God, Word of Life Church and Ebenezer Ministries’ Community Center.
Cost for the program is $15 per class. A special rate is available for those who are unemployed or who pre-register for all four workshops. For scholarship information, contact Hunyady at .
For more information about Career Edge, funded through the Michigan Economic Development Corp., click here.