(29 Aug 2011) HEADLINE: Miami job fair offers hope, but no guarantees
CAPTION: Job fair offers hope to thousands who are unemployed in South Florida, bringing in about 120 employers and 3,000 jobs. Still, there are no guarantees in this market. (Aug. 24)
GEORGE MARTINEZ IS WORRIED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB.
[SOT/George Martinez, unemployed]
"I have a wife, a child, I''m trying to pay the bills and cover the expenses. So it''s a worrisome situation.
MARTINEZ IS JUST ONE OF THE THOUSANDS WHO ATTENDED A RECENT JOB FAIR IN MIAMI. THEY WAITED FOR HOURS TO SPEAK WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS, SIGNING AS MANY EMPLOYMENT FORMS THEY CAN GET their hands on.
THE GOAL IS TO LOWER THE ESPECIALLY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN SOUTH FLORIDA. CONGRESSWOMAN FREDERICA WILSON CALLED THE RATE ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE U.S.
("We are all off sync here, and it''s important for us to address that need. And in the African American community, it''s even worse.")
ASHAALA JENKINS USED TO BE THE ONE HIRING AND FIRING.
[SOT/Ashaala Jenkins, former employer]
("It''s a little different. It''s humbling actually to be on the other side now and inquiring about positions. Change is, uh. But it''s a good thing."O
THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS ORGANIZED THE EVENT, BRINGING IN NEARLY 120 EMPLOYERS WITH ROUGHLY 3,000 JOB OPENINGS.
ONE EMPLOYER SAID MOST OF THOSE COMING UP TO HER BOOTH, THOUGH, DIDN''T HAVE THE NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB.
[SOT/Lori Wernikoff, employer]
("Either overqualified, or you''re right, they don''t have the experience.")
ALTHOUGH SEVERAL JOB SEEKERS QUICKLY LEARNED THEY WERE NO GUARANTEES HERE, OTHERS SAID THEY WERE WILLING TO TAKE JUST ABOUT ANY JOB THEY CAN FIND.
("Anything from cooking to working in a hotel, to working as a driver, or anything like that. But right now, anything that can hire me right now.")
THE NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TICKED UP JUST OVER 9 PERCENT IN JUNE - THE HIGHEST LEVEL THIS YEAR. FLORIDA''S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS JUST UNDER 11 PERCENT.WITH THOSE STATISTICS, MANY OF THE UNEMPLOYED AT THIS JOB FAIR ARE JUST TRYING TO STAY OPTIMISTIC.
SUZETTE LABOY, ASSOCIATED PRESS, MIAMI
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