Herbie Mahon, 18, uses a computer to look for jobs while participating in the Georgia Department of Labor's job fair at the LaFayette Career Center on Thursday.LaFAYETTE, Ga. - Stewart Kelley drove all the way up Battlefield Parkway's commercial strip in Fort Oglethorpe, stopping at each business on the right side of the road to fill out an application for employment.
The next day, Kelley did the same thing, but on the other side of the road.
"I have filled out at least 200 applications since graduating from high school in May," he said.
Kelley has grown discouraged.
On Thursday he attended the Georgia Department of Labor's On-the-Job Training program's recruitment event, held at the LaFayette Career Center.
The program, established by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, is administered by the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission in Rome, which serves 15 counties.
Project coordinator Beth Kelley said the program works year-round to help people who are legally eligible to work. It is designed for people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, have not been able to find a job and are low-income or on public assistance.
At the recruitment event people filled out a required application with questions about their work history and skills. They also were given two assessments; a basic interest survey, and a skills test for the specific field they want to go into.
The information from the application and surveys help training program employees connect people with specific jobs, according to Beth Kelley.
The program also works with businesses, offering to pay half of a new employee's wages while they are in training. That adds an incentive for businesses to hire program candidates, she said.
"We try to be another resource to help people in their job search," she said.
Catherine Handley, 58, from Rock Spring, is hoping to re-enter the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom for five years.
Handley has an associate's degree in accounting, but feels like her current skills are obsolete because of changes in technology.
"I am doing everything I can to get a job," she said.
"I came to [the recruitment event] today to see if they can help me get back out there in the workforce," Handley said. "I really need help on my résumé, which is the scariest part of the process for me."
Beth Kelley said she has seen the program's success in helping people find jobs, and that it also "gives people hope."
"We don't want to be known as the unemployment office, but as the employment office," she said.
Stewart Kelley said, "I am good at working with people and hope the program can help me get a job in sales. I think I could move up pretty quickly and do well."
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.