CAREER CLOSET PINPOINTS WORKERS' NEED

There is nothing more gratifying about the welfare-to-work movement than to see success stories at the community level. While it took an act of Congress to set the wheels in motion, the task of keeping things on track is being accomplished with small projects that have big payoffs.

One marvelous example is a project in Cape Girardeau called the Career Closet. It attempts to meet a basic need of former welfare recipients who are entering the job market: What do I wear to the interview? And how can I get proper clothes if I get the job?

It didn't take long for a group of individuals, including Claire Ellinghouse of Kids Wear Again shop downtown, to come up with a simple plan. They would collect used clothing suitable for the workplace, including uniforms, and make them available to newly hired workers. There's a catch, of course, and it falls into the category of motivation. In order to get access to the Career Closet, would-be workers must complete pre-employment skills training or other job-related objectives.

Recently, a group of prospective employees went through a series of workshops to help them with the interview process and other skills that make better workers. Upon completion, they were invited to the Career Closet. All of those enrolled in the program earned new wardrobes.

Employers are benefitting from this project as well. They are able to hire new employees who are much better prepared for the workplace, and businesses are more inclined to hire someone who has been through this program.

Some of the best success stories are those that are the simplest to tell. The Career Closet was conceived and put into operation in about a month. It is working, and the welfare rolls are shrinking as a result.

The Career Closet, which is housed at the offices of the Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council, welcomes donations of clothing items and accessories suitable for on-the-job attire. For further information about donating, call PIC at 334-0990.