Winterville, NC (WNCT) — Better Together held its second National Day of Job Opportunity Fairs across the country on Thursday afternoon. Ignite Church of Winterfell hosted a second job fair for residents of eastern North Carolina.
Event staff said Thursday’s job is designed to break down hiring barriers such as homelessness, prior incarceration or resume gaps. The job fair showed potential employers who immediately interviewed and hired, giving hope to those struggling to hack impersonal and intolerant algorithms for online job applications, according to Better Together staff.
“We have 650,000 inmates released from prison within a year, and the unemployment rate is five times as high, so this helps the economy and business owners,” said Jessica Brimmer, director of the Better Together Partnership.
The organization partners with local churches to host these events nationwide.
“It’s a day when we really celebrate the people who need a second chance, who have had so many times in life, and just couldn’t get it. As believers here at our church, we believe everyone is given a second chance,” said Jared Mosley of Ignite Church.
Event attendees looking forward to getting that second chance said they were optimistic,
“Not a lot of people have a lot of resources to see the different types of employers here in Greenville, so having them all here in one place is a really good thing for the community,” said Dclaia Cooper.
“I feel really lucky. I really hope I get an opportunity here,” said Latifa Guram. “It’s called the second job fair, so I’m hoping to find the job that’s available to me.”
Potential employers such as Richard Williams said the event was mutually beneficial.
“Maybe you’ll find someone here who’s willing to come in and put in some hard work to kick-start their career and learn new things,” said Williams.
“We help people with disabilities find jobs, and that gives them a chance, not even a second chance because it could be their first chance at a job,” said potential employer, Lisa Taylor.