Arnold Community Council plans events for ATA reduced-in-force, furloughed civilians, others

  • Published
  • By Kathy Gattis
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Arnold Community Council (ACC) members are hoping to make things a little easier for AEDC employees impacted by sequestration.

The ACC, a group founded to support and promote AEDC, is working with state agencies, elected officials and area leadership to organize community and career fairs in the coming weeks.

The state of Tennessee will participate and provide an overview of its services - from explaining unemployment benefits to resume-building classes, interview preparation and opportunities for tuition assistance. The state will also explain its "job matching" services.

Area career centers are looking at the skills of those being reduced-in-force and current job openings and talking with the companies they work with about possible future or upcoming job openings.

As part of the fair, there will be companies on hand to discuss job opportunities. The list of companies is still being developed and will be available soon.

In addition, there will be classes on budgeting, couponing, interviewing and resume writing.

Involved in planning the community fairs are ACC members, city and county mayors, chambers of commerce, local, regional and state economic and community development offices, labor and workforce development, health care professionals, the financial industry, local and state career centers, educational institutions and many others.

The events were originally planned for AEDC employees, but are now being opened up to others in the community who are unemployed or under-employed.

The idea of a community fair began when AEDC Commander, Col. Raymond Toth and ACC President Steve Cope met and discussed ways the community could help government civilians facing furlough and ATA employees being reduced-in-force.

For more information about the community and career fairs, be sure to check area newspapers, television, radio and www.arnoldcommunitycouncil.com and www.arnold.af.mil/sequestration.

If you have questions, call Public Affairs at 454-5655.

The ACC has a long-standing relationship with AEDC; the council was founded 13 years ago.