Business and economic information you need to know
Oct 21, 2008 10:34 pm US/Eastern
Finding Hope In Times Of Unemployment
DAVIE (CBS4) ―
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This man is attending a career building workshop at Workforce One in Davie. He along with a dozen others were learning how to write resumes, organize their job search, and interviewing skills.
Jim Robinson/CBS
The unemployment rate in Florida has climbed with the current state of the U.S. economy, and behind each job loss and each layoff is a story.
Nestor Gaibor is not used to being behind a computer. He's used to being behind a steering wheel, but since the truck driver lost his job, he and daughter Ashley have been spending time at Workforce One.
"Everywhere is the same," said Gaibor. "There is no job. They say we are not hiring now. We are freezing now.'
Gaibor comes here everyday. For the first time in his life he's taken unemployment money. It's enough to drive this man to tears.
"It's real hard when you have your family, when you have to pay your mortgage. I'm real, real broke."
"We've seen a huge increase in the number of people we're serving," said Kelly Allen, spokesperson for Workforce One.
She says the Broward based agency is offering more job search workshops. She says there are some jobs available, but more and more people who want them. And the people who will get them are those who are prepared.
"It is a humbling time," said Allen. "It can be an embarrassing time for people, but in order to put the full net out there you've got to tell everybody you're in the market for a job."
Here's a sign of the struggling economy: A designated area at Workforce One office is reserved for employers to meet with prospective employees. Staffers say a year ago this area would have been nearly filled. When CBS4 News visited, not a single employer was here.
Alicia Press lost her high paying job and is struggling to find work.
Workforce One is helping her return to school for a job in the healthcare field. Life as she knew it is dramatically different.
"We're watching everything right now because we want to stay in our home," said Press. "We want to stay here and we don't want to lose what we've taken 25 years to build."
It took decades to build and just weeks to lose, but for people like Press and Gaibor, there is help available.
Whether you've recently lost your job or fear that you might, there are some simple steps you can take to prepare yourself.
CLICK HERE for job search tips provided by Workforce One.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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