Category: Business

KCK job fair Tuesday to help unemployed persons

A job fair Tuesday will address unemployment in Wyandotte County, which is the highest in the state of Kansas. The free job fair will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Reardon Convention Center, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

Sponsored by the Unified Government and several other businesses and agencies, the job fair will designate the first hour for veterans only.

The job fair is free and open to the public. There also is no charge for parking in the lot across the street from the convention center. At least 75 booths are expected to be at the job fair.

The Hilton Garden Inn, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Technical Education Center, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, KansasWorks and Workforce Partnership are among the sponsors of the event.

Those attending the job fair are asked to dress for a job interview, and also to bring resumes. For more details on the job fair, visit an earlier story at https://wyandotteonline.com/job-fair-planned-sept-23/.

One of the businesses that will have a booth at the job fair is AT&T, which is looking for technicians. That position offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement and 401k plans. For more information on that job, visit http://connect.att.jobs/kansas/technician.

Wyandotte County has the highest unemployment rate of all Kansas counties, according to figures from the Kansas Department of Labor, and Kansas City, Kan., has the highest rate for all large cities in Kansas. The unemployment rate has declined in the last month.

The Wyandotte County unemployment rate was reported at 7.5 percent for August of this year, as compared to 8.7 percent in July and 9.1 percent in August 2013, according to the Kansas Department of Labor.

Statewide, the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.

Construction company gives care center a big boost

Metro Lutheran Ministry Board member Duane Dean, left, looked over a new shower at St. Luke's Lutheran Church with Pastor Scott Eberlein. (Photo from Dale Garrison)
Metro Lutheran Ministry Board member Duane Dean, left, looked over a new shower at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church with Pastor Scott Eberlein. (Photo from Dale Garrison)

by Dale Garrison

A recent example of Metro Lutheran Ministry’s effective volunteer program involves construction at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 722 Reynolds, in Kansas City, Kan.

The site of MLM’s Wyandotte County Community Care Center, the project included installation of three showers on two floors, along with installation of a washer and dryer. One of the showers is handicapped accessible. People who visit the Saturday breakfast program or the weekday pantry can now perform basic hygiene that, for the homeless, is often impossible. Not only does it add significantly to health and comfort, it makes other things more possible, especially much needed job interviews.

The story behind the effort involves MLM board member Duane Dean, who owns Miller Stauch Construction Company, which is only a few blocks from the church. He heard through MLM that the church pastors had mentioned the need and acted.

“Basically, we wanted to make it a good situation for people who don’t have access to showers and laundry facilities,” Dean explained. “Now when people come in to have breakfast or pick up food supplies, they have access to this. Some are living on the street and really need a place to go and clean up.”

Dean said the effort was not difficult for his commercial construction company, but with his experience volunteering at MLM Saturday breakfasts and now serving as a volunteer board member, he had no doubt about the need.

“We were grateful to be part of it,” he said. “I thought, ‘Here’s something that we can do where we can help people in the community.’ It’s a real need, so to have the opportunity to help out is something that doesn’t come along often.”

He’s seen other MLM successes since first becoming aware of the organization through St. Luke’s co-pastors Scott Eberlein and Luke Kammrath.

“I just got hooked there,” he laughed. “I thought, ‘These guys are serious. They have a great program and mean business.’ That makes it easy to make a decision to lend a hand. Otherwise, how do you break the cycle? How do you break the chain?”

Job fair planned Sept. 23

A job fair is planned next Tuesday, Sept. 23, in downtown Kansas City, Kan.

Sponsored by the Unified Government and several local organizations, the job fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Reardon Convention Center, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., only military veterans may participate. After that, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the job fair is open to the public.

Job seekers are asked to dress for applying for a job, and should bring resumes to leave with potential employers. Some employers will conduct job interviews at the event.

There is no charge for employers or job seekers at the job fair, and parking is free.

The Hilton Garden Inn, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Technical Education Center, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, KansasWorks and Workforce Partnership are sponsors of the event.

Those who will have booths, information or job interviews at the event include: 1A Auto, 7th Street Casino, ACH Foam Technologies, Aerotek, AGC Glass Company North America, Amazon, American Academy of Family Physicians, Apria Healthcare, AT&T (Randstad Source Right), Baker University, Burlington Coat Factory, Carpenters Union Apprenticeship Program, Centrinex, Cintas, city of Olathe, City Wide Maintenance, Commerce Bank, Country Club Bank, Crossroads Hospice, CRTechnical Staffing, Drywall Systems Inc., Economic Opportunity Foundation Inc., Educational Opportunity Center, Express Employment Professionals, Farmers Insurance, FedEx Ground, First Student, G4S Secure Solutions, GE Capital Retail Finance, GEAR For Sports, General Dynamics Information Technology, Hatch Staffing Services, Heros 2 Hired, Hipower Systems, Infinite Healthcare, Jobs Incubator, Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities, Kansas City Kansas Community College-Technical Education Center, Kansas City Power and Light, Kansas State University Global Campus, LabCorp (Laboratory Corporation of America), LegalShield Inc., Long Motor Corporation, Manpower, MarketSource Inc., MidAmerica Nazarene University, MoKan Ironworkers, Multi Service, NCO Financial, New Horizons CLC, New York Life, Package Development Corp., Pegasus Cleaning Corp., Primerica Financial Services, Prologistix, Providence Medical Center and Saint John Hospital, QPS Employment Group, Rasmussen College, Save A Lot Food Stores, Sheet Metal Local No. 2 Training Center, Spartan Staffing, SPX , Swissport, The University of Kansas Hospital, TRAC-7, Unified Government of Wyandotte County KCK Fire Department, KCK Police Department, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department, University of Phoenix Military Division, US Bank, VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, Webco Manufacturing Inc., Western and Southern Life, Whelan Security, Workforce Partnership and YRC Freight.
– Information from UG newsletter