Events assist more than 275 displaced workers

JOB FAIR HELD TUESDAY, CONTINUED OUTREACH PLANNED — A Career and Resource Fair was held on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in the East Taylorsville Baptist Church gym for unemployed workers from the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams plant closure and others.

By MICAH HENRY

An Alexander County Career and Resource Fair was held Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at the East Taylorsville Baptist Church gym for local displaced workers, following the sudden August 26 closure of the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams furniture plants.

This continues the outreach efforts of local and state entities and area employers to help workers find employment. These efforts began the weekend of the closure, which affects more than 500 workers, most of whom were employed in Alexander County.

Charity Patterson Hamber, the Director of Workforce Development with Western Piedmont Council of Governments, told The Times that about 147 people had visited the job fair on Tuesday. Workers were able to meet with 37 agencies, including many local employers. Hamber said staff was on hand with Social Services as well as WPCOG for mortgage information and local Health Department staff for health related questions.

At the earlier NCWorks/WPCOG events held at Catawba Valley Community College’s Alexander Applied Technology Center this month, Hamber said about 125 displaced workers were given assistance in signing up for unemployment or other services.

Hamber said that NCWorks will continue to hold hours at the CVCC Applied Tech Center in Taylorsville on Mondays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and at Alexander County Library in Taylorsville on Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

If affected workers are unable to meet NCWorks staff during those times, they may call the NCWorks Career Center in Catawba County at 828-466-5535.