ORGANIZATIONS FOCUS ON BUILDING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - More than 20,000 Hoosiers will not be receiving unemployment benefits after Congress didn't extend long-term unemployment  in the recent budget deal, and many may think they're out of options. However, two local agencies are working to decrease the unemployment rate by building skills. They said there are quite a few jobs available in the area, but people need to learn how to market themselves more effectively.

Leaders at Blue Jacket and Northeast Indiana Works recognized the lack of soft skills, or personal traits and habits that are useful in any work environment, is holding people back from finding jobs.

"I do think it's kind of surprising that some soft skills and deficiencies in soft skills still exist, and those things include showing up late to an interview," said Rick Farrant, the Director of Communication at Northeast Indiana Works.

They said one problem is that many people don't know their own skill set.

"The soft skills are the skills that you can take anywhere with you," said Doug Hartle, the Career Academy Coordinator at Blue Jacket. "They're transferable skills, and those are the ones most important to the employer...It's often because nobody has taught them what is expected of them or they've had a hard time bridging the gap between the required employment skills and how to market themselves."

They teach their clients how to build appropriate resumes, the right way to fill out applications, the proper way to dress for interviews, and effective cold calling skills.

Blue Jacket  offers a four week Career Academy course for ex-offenders, veterans, the homeless, welfare recipients, foreign-language speakers, and others who might have difficulties entering the job market.  The non-profit encourages people to donate to their clothing store or to their scholarship fund.

Northeast Indiana Works oversees the WorkOne offices. They hold free workshops focusing on resume development, interviewing techniques, work values, team communication, and speaking with confidence. People can find workshop schedules by contacting their local WorkOne.