Veteran jobs highlight of chamber meeting

By Charles Romans

Carter County Times

The Grayson Chamber of Commerce met last Tuesday for their regularly scheduled meeting. The chamber discussed the success of the recent Memory Days event and cited positive community response through social media and other channels. With Memory Days 2024 wrapped up, the chamber is already discussing ideas for the 2025 annual event slated for Memorial Day weekend next year. The Chamber also discussed the fall Golf Scramble, a chamber fundraiser. That event is coming up on October 4, 2024, and will be the first such fundraiser since the onset of the COVID pandemic.

The featured speaker for the meeting was Sarah Ramey from Northeast Community Action Agency. Ramey told the chamber that Northeast was currently wrapping up their fiscal year, but that new funding for programs will begin in July. Northeast, Ramey said, was focused on helping job seekers. Part of that help comes in the form of gas cards for transportation and planning such as assessments for potential job seekers.

“We can also help job seekers with resumes,” Ramey said. “And if they don’t have a resume, we can help them make one.” 

Ramey said that many individuals have problems compiling a resume, but that Northeast can help them to gather and arrange pertinent information that will give a clear picture of their experience and qualifications to a potential employer.

Ramey told the chamber that Northeast was also very excited about their programs designed to help veterans reenter the workforce. There will be an upcoming event on July 11 at the Olive Hill Armory where there will be a large number of businesses set up to showcase available jobs and meet with potential applicants. Businesses will be interviewing for jobs ‘on the spot,’ Ramey said, and the event will also include live entertainment, along with free health screenings for veterans. Ramey said that Northeast also has programs coming up highlighting work from home jobs as well.

Northeast also helps with job placement in ways that benefit the potential employer as well, Ramey told the chamber. Programs exist that will subsidize a percentage of the new employee’s wages for up to twelve weeks as an incentive for both the job seeker and the employer. This facilitates training, on the job training, as well as working in the position. Ramey said the goal of the program is for the twelve-week subsidy to end with full-time employment.

The chamber of commerce is not a government entity, but rather a coalition of small business owners in the community who have joined together to help promote business in their communities.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com