News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Highlands Initiative is working to get businesses and unemployed workers connected to put their skills to use.
Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Communications Director Allison Boshears said publicizing the jobs available is key to getting them filled.
The steps being taken to connect the employees and employers include a job portal on the Highlands and Chamber website and social medias.
“We definitely have I think, the skill set in the work force,” Boshears said. “I think it’s just publicizing these jobs and making them known, we have so many higher education partners in our area that give us so many good employees.”
Boshears said that creating videos to promote businesses looking for workers are also coming out. The businesses that are in need of workers do not fit one specific skill set though.
“There are jobs at Perdue, there are jobs at Twin Lakes so they kind of run the gamut,” Boshears said. “There are jobs available in a lot of industry partners.”
Boshears said there are a lot of jobs seeking employees with industrial education.
As for the lasting effects of COVID-19 on the job market, Boshears said it is improving since the Spring and early Summer. Going back to the connection between employee and employer, safety at work is a driving factor to full recovery.
“People are slowly going back to work,” Boshears said. “Slowly becoming more confident in the systems that businesses and employers have in place to protect them.”
Job opportunities will be posted to the Highlands Economic Partnership Facebook page through September and October. Boshears said prospective employees and businesses can reach out directly to get in touch with work force information.
