Finding work still a full-time job in Danville

By: Tara Bozick | GoDanRiver
Published: July 19, 2011

One Pittsylvania County woman, who spent nearly 23 years in the textile business, has been looking for a job since March.

Jane Hill had worked her way up from sewing to the executive building at Dan River Inc. and continued working at the Best Textiles office on Riverview Drive until it closed. Now, she’s concerned that employers won’t want to hire someone older.

“You have to reinvent yourself is what I discovered,” said Pat Alderson, case manager at the Virginia Workforce Center.

“All I can do is keep hoping something is going to come along,” Hill added.

“You got to stick with it,” Alderson said encouragingly. “It’s almost a full-time job to look for a job.”

Hill, and more than 30 others, attended the local Job Seekers meeting, aimed at giving the local unemployed resources, information and support in the job hunt, on Tuesday morning.

Ralph Price, manager of the local Virginia Employment Commission office, updated attendees on unemployment benefits and local labor market information.

He advised attendees to prepare themselves for emerging jobs before a company makes an announcement, and to be more mobile in terms of where they would be willing to work.

Marvin Clements, local VEC veterans representative, took attendees through how to register and search for jobs on the Virginia Workforce Connection website. More than 500 jobs popped up for the Danville area.

“The actual economy is improving somewhat,” Price said. “Jobs are being created in various venues, so please avail yourself of those opportunities.”

The next Job Seekers meeting from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Regional Center for Advanced Technology and Training at 121 Slayton Ave. will cover résumé-building and how to apply for specific openings.

To search for jobs, visit the VEC website at www.vaemploy.com.

Updates

» The re-employment services office in Brosville closed on Thursday because the stimulus funding ran out.

» Extended unemployment benefits ended in Virginia in May.

» Social Security income no longer reduces unemployment benefits as of the week of July 3 after a law change.

Source: Ralph Price of local Virginia Employment Commission office