Career Center Changes Mean Trouble for Unemployed
UNION CITY, Tenn. – Many out of work West Tennesseans are facing a new struggle, after budget cuts force the state to suspend job services. Telicia Rice said the Tennessee Career Center has helped her find a job twice. She is hoping there is enough time for her to find one more before Union City’s career center stops offering state-sponsored job services. “It’s a lot of places here that won’t just hire you if you go in,” Rice said. “You go through a service, you get a better chance of getting hired.” Workers at the Union City office said more than 1,700 people have visited the center in March alone. State officials said in February, Obion County had a 12.4 percent unemployment rate – the seventh highest in the state. “Sounds like they’re try to make ghost towns,” said job seeker, Charles Hendrix. “You know, it’s hard enough to get a job as it is without the career centers, and that’s taking away opportunities for a lot of people who have families to raise.” The Union City location ending their job services program means residents will have to drive further away to get help. The closest job centers are in Dyersburg and Jackson. “Having to drive almost 50 miles, half of these people don’t even have the transportation to get to out of town, let alone get to a job service,” Rice said. The state offers online services to help with your job search, but some said it is not the same as going to the actual career center. “They help you with filling out applications,” Rice said. “They let you know who’s actually hiring, where you’ve got a lot better chance.” State officials said more than 20 state workers in West Tennessee will also be laid off as a result of the change, which goes into effect June 18.
