Schools

Chattahoochee Tech Hosts Resource and Volunteer Expo

The event brings students in contact with organizations and resources that may help them in their working lives.

Several volunteer and resource organizations came to Chattahoochee Technical College's in Acworth Tuesday afternoon to provide opportunities and information to students during the annual Resource and Volunteer Expo.

Chattahoochee Tech plans to hold similar expos at all four of its area campuses.

Organizations as varied as CarMax, the Devereux Georgia Treatment Network and the Georgia Department of Labor were on hand to enlist volunteers for their organizations or to hand out information to students about how to land a job in the new economic reality.

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“Volunteering for an organization related to your career field makes your resume stand out,” said Dolly Fehd, Development Coordinator at Devereux, which treats teenagers who have come from extremely abusive situations.

The center is looking to recruit volunteers to help with treating patients, but also to landscape the facility and provide entertainment and photographers to teach the residents about camera work.

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“Putting those sorts of projects on your resume will help you get a job,” said Fehd.

Once a student lands a job, managing money becomes a priority. Kathy Bouyett of Credit Union of Georgia was handing out pamphlets about smart financial decisions to students.

“We're here to raise awareness of our resources,” she said. “We want to help students get started with savings and checking accounts and to help establish credit.”

Vanessa Garland of the , which provides employment and life instruction to developmentally-challenged adults, said her organization was looking for more volunteers to fill the ranks.

“We teach classes on hygiene, nutrition and handling money,” she said. “A lot of times, our workers will be at the supermarket and throw their money down on the counter and ask the cashier to take what is needed.”

The Georgia Department of Labor had a table with information pamphlets on how to write a good resume, how to dress for and ace an interview, and many other useful topics for soon-to-be job seekers. Many students at Chattahoochee Tech are either retraining to learn new job skills or acquiring their first tools to enter the workforce.

“We want to establish a community relationship with these students that they can use for the rest of their lives,” said Richard Murphy, Services Specialist with the department.

A popular booth at the expo was operated by the the Georgia Work Ready program. This program offers a Work Ready Certification for people who pass a math, reading, and information finding test. Workers who receive the certificate can show proof of work readiness to potential employers, which may increase their chances of being hired.

“Many of these resources are unknown to our students,” school authorities said. “By centralizing them all in this location, it exposes students to opportunities and information they may not have known existed.”

One student whose eyes were opened was Eseme Eseme. He and his friend Enrique Mendoza were perusing the booths, learning as much as they could about each organization.

“I'm interested in the and Homeward Bound Pet Rescue,” Eseme said. Both students agreed that they had never heard of many of these opportunities before they attended the expo.

“It really helps you with your future,” said Mendoza.


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