By Alaina Bookman | abookman@al.com
This is another installment in AL.com’s series “Beyond the Violence,” which explores solutions that could make Birmingham safer, healthier and happier. Sign up for the newsletter here.
With a handful of job opportunities, Tyshon Smith, 30, said the Jefferson County Second Chance Hiring Fair made him feel hopeful.
Last week, job seekers with criminal backgrounds were given a second chance to have gainful employment at an event aimed at breaking employment barriers. While anyone was welcomed to attend, organizers said the hiring fair was an opportunity for people with misdemeanor or felony records to confront their pasts without shame.
A line of people with resumes in hand formed outside of the Boutwell Auditorium as more than 600 people attended this year’s Second Chance Hiring Fair. The event led to at least 200 people leaving the hiring fair with a new job and new hope for the future.
“I spoke to about 10 different tables. Everybody was very helpful. The experience was great. There’s a lot of great opportunities here,” Smith told AL.com.
“A second chance is always great for everybody. It changes people’s mindsets. A lot of people do things in life that might set them back, so this opportunity gives people a better outlook on life.”
The job fair was a collaboration between the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, WorkFaith Birmingham, Alabama Career Center System, 60 local employers and 10 resource providers.
Staff members with WorkFaith Birmingham, a career development nonprofit, talked with hundreds of attendees about free workshops and certification programs they offer. One hiring fair attendee was a WorkFaith program graduate who got a job offer.
Lena Kappen, social services director with WorkFaith, said her inbox was filled with people who signed up for the workshop program by the end of the hiring fair.
“We want to help individuals see that they do have talent, they do have gifts, that they are worthy and that they are valuable to employers,” Crystal Parker, program director with WorkFaith, said. “We are co-sponsors of this event, so we believe in it and we know that it is successful.”
Roosevelt Morgan, vice president of workforce readiness with the Birmingham Society of Human Resource Management, gave tips to hiring fair attendees on how to make an impression during an interview and improve their resumes.
“Giving people an opportunity, a second chance, could change the trajectory of our citizens’ lives…These are just respectable people who are looking for opportunity,” Morgan said. “It feels meaningful and purpose-driven to know that we’re able to help. I love being able to give hope. And that’s what it felt like today: people walking out with a different mindset, a weight lifted off of them.”
Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr said employing people who are justice-impacted can help lower recidivism rates by giving people a purpose.
“I think today’s event was important because we understand that there are a lot of people that need opportunities. We know that good people do dumb things sometimes, but should they follow them forever? I don’t think so. Should they be granted another opportunity and have a space where they can have that opportunity? Yes,” Carr told AL.com.
“Giving people a second chance makes Birmingham better…I think if you want to fight crime, you change the trajectory of people’s lives. And this job fair does just that.”
