Over
2,000 WARNed and laid-off Boeing employees filled the Seattle
Union Hall on December 11th to meet with 60 corporate recruiters
at the Reaching Out Job Fair. Even before the doors opened, the
parking lot was crowded with members eager to get a lead on a
new job before the holidays and their final paycheck at Boeing.The IAM/Boeing Quality Through Training Program (QTTP) did an excellent job recruiting a wide-range of employers from the public and private sector, ranging from state Department of Corrections to Everett Public Schools to health care facilities and national firms like Lockheed Martin, as well as law enforcement recruiters from Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas police departments.
Those attending expressed surprise at the large number of employers eager to hire employees. Since the layoffs will continue into next year, QTTP will plan additional job fairs to help in the re-employment effort. QTTP is currently working on a job fair for February to held in Everett. When a date and location are finalized, it will be posted on the Union web site, as well as in Union news bulletins.
In addition to offering job leads, the event also provided an opportunity for counselors to review and critique resumes. Conferences rooms were used to assist members with resumes and provide tips on interviewing techniques to ensure members put their best foot forward.
Among the employer booths, Lockheed Martin drew the most attention, as long lines formed from both sides of their two booths from when the fair opened until it closed at 4 p.m.
Some of our members facing layoff
have already developed plans for their future. Immediately after
receiving a WARN notice, Doug Hodgson met with a QTTP Career Advisor
to explore retraining options. After much research, Doug settled
on a retraining program for an able-bodied seaman/merchant marine.
He will begin winter quarter at North Seattle Community College
in their marine training program. The job fair gave him potential
leads in this field that has projected career growth for the future.Jeff Hildner is another member prepared for layoff. Jeff has continually utilized the QTTP Education Assistance program throughout his career at Boeing to gain additional computer skills and certification in MCSE, Cisco Systems and the A+ certification.
Jeff advised, "Members on the active payroll need to take advantage of the extensive educational benefits the Union has negotiated for us. While I hadn't expected to be laid-off, the training I have taken all along should lead to immediate employment. I have been teaching computer classes in the evening and hope to expand the number classes I teach."
Mark Stumpf was a victim of the 1999 layoffs. He attended the job fair because he is again facing a job search. After leaving Boeing, Mark utilized retraining benefits and landed a job in the high tech field. Unfortunately, his new job was eliminated in the high tech downturn. The job fair gave him some potential leads on positions that will utilize his extensive computer skills.
For Debbie Graham, the job fair delivered a potential lead in the health care profession. After meeting with QTTP Career Advisors, Debbie began pursuing retraining to become a Registered Nurse. She quickly discovered the mountains of paperwork, red tape and guidelines individuals must comply with in order to qualify for the government retraining programs. Her frustration mounted when she learned that nearly a year of prerequisites must be taken before she can even begin her RN program. While she is still sorting through the details to determine exactly who will fund her retraining, she is registered to begin classes at Everett Community College in January and looks forward to starting a new career.