Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA (Goodwill) will be celebrating the grand opening of its newest Job Connection-Career Center on Thursday, March 4, at 4 p.m. Located at 4019 Gateway Blvd., it is the nineth such facility in Goodwill’s 35-county service delivery area across middle Georgia and into South Carolina.

“The pandemic has dealt a huge blow to the economy, resulting in devastating job losses,” says Leah Pontani, vice president of career services at Goodwill. "Our challenge as we emerge from the grip of COVID is to ensure that displaced workers are prepared to succeed in a post-crisis labor market and are properly aligned with available job opportunities.”

Funded by merchandise sales in Goodwill’s 15 retail training stores, Job Connection-Career Center services are provided at no cost to job seekers. In recent years, an average of more than 17,000 of them have received help through Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, according to Pontani.

Goodwill’s Job Connection-Career Centers utilize a holistic approach to job placement and staffing services. Job seekers are matched with job openings and receive help when needed to prepare resumes and practice for interviews. In addition, career center staff may place individuals in positions at Goodwill retail locations, match them to immediate openings through Goodwill Staffing Services, or provide information on educational opportunities at Helms Career Education and Helms College.

"We are working daily to ensure we have the most up-to-date information on job opportunities and are increasing our outreach efforts with businesses and organizations that may be seeking workers," Pontani said. "Whether you're looking to find a job today, need help identifying and preparing for a new career for the future, or are struggling to locate necessary resources in the community, our staff is prepared to assist."

All Job Connection-Career Centers welcome walk-ins, while also mandating mask wearing and social distancing to protect the health of clients and Goodwill staff alike. 

The new Grovetown Job Connection-Career Center will be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning March 1. A grand opening celebration at the location is scheduled for Thursday, March 4, at 4 p.m.