Vets Bet on Second Chance Job Fair | Inglewood Today Newspaper

By Gene Johnson

Terry Williams said he slipped into petty theft when he was unable to find employment, after serving four years in the United States Navy.

And the 46-year-old Louisiana native said the petty theft convictions eventually mounted into a felony.

?

?Because of that one box they have on the job application, about checking your background, your history,? said Williams, who is also a Grambling State University graduate. ?My criminal record is nothing major, drastic. It?s just an accumulation of petty thefts.?

?

?I just had a problem last year with a violation deal. I had a drink and all that.? I just been out of jail since last year ? July. I just want to get myself in order,? he said. ?Employers prefer people that don?t have records. Right now I?m open to anything.?

?

So Williams arrived about 30 minutes before the scheduled 10 a.m. Monday start time to assure his chance of finding employment at the Second Chance Career and Resource Fair held right outside Inglewood City Hall, near the hall?s Community Room.

?

The event, which was also held last year, included on-site computers with Web access for job applications, more than 50 hiring employers and pre-event workshops on job search techniques and record expungement ? which in particular drew 43-year-old Los Angeles resident Michael Johnson, who needed some traffic convictions expunged.

?

?Its (the convictions) been stopping me from getting a job,? said Johnson, who looked for telemarketing and warehouse positions. ?It?s been like driving with a suspended license and not paying the fines. I actually got a few of them done already.?

?

And new to this year?s fair is a ?Dress for Success? workshop, as well as the issuing out of clothing vouchers for those who need the proper attire for job interviews, said Carl Frierson, Employment Program Manager for the California Employment Development Department.

?

Frierson?s agency, as well the City of Inglewood, U.S. Vets, South Bay One-Stop Business and Career Center, and the Weingart Center Association were some of the sponsors of Monday?s event.

?

Frierson said last year?s fair drew about 1,200 participants (which included 400 veterans). This year he expected about 2,500 participants because of veterans returning home from active duty.

?

?Just look at the unemployment rate. It?s very high for veterans,? he said, adding the unemployment for non-veterans is about 10 percent ? compared to 12 to 14 percent for veterans.

?

?A lot them are coming back and are not able connect to (employment) services. Some of those individuals coming back need help,? he said. ?They need resources. They need to de-program to get back into the workforce.?

?

Frierson said he hopes that fair will be an annual event in Inglewood, and already has Mayor James T. Butts Jr. backing.

?

?It is extremely critical, as we move forward, to employ more of our residents, so we?ll be able to spend more locally,? Butts said. ?People that were incarcerated have that stigma ? society is going to have to revise its attitude about people have had paid their debts to society. People who have paid their penance need to be on an equal playing field.?

?

?As far as veterans, I don?t feel the country recognizes the debt that it owes to people who have risked their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we do,? he said. ?They should get a preference ? to be honest with you, when it comes to hiring.?

?

Prospective employers at Monday?s fair included Kaiser-Permanente, the Los Angeles County Public Library, New York Life Insurance and RWM Fiber Optics, Inc. a Carson-based telecommunications training and consulting firm.

?

?

?

?

?

somaya reece juelz santana juelz santana greg halman greg halman dancing with the stars results ucla basketball