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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2010)
October 6, 2010 Minority & Small Business Week Page 7 Job Support for Challenging Times PCC Cascade’s Pursuit of Employment Hundreds o f local job seekers convened at the Cascade Campus o f Portland Community College in north Portland for something much different from a job fair. PCC's Workforce Development Program recently held its second Pursuit o f Employment at the cam pus' Moriarty Arts and Humanities Auditorium. The event, which oc curs each term at the campus, is designed to bring inspiration and motivation to job seekers who may have hit a roadblock in their search for work and need encouragement. Attendees get to hear from local m otivational speakers who con veyed their experiences. One o f the speakers was Ken Berry, a 40-year teacher and admin istrator for Portland Public Schools and a product o f Portland Commu nity College. "W eallneedaboost," said Berry, iracee wells (trom left) and Rita White, employment specialists with Portland Community College’s Workforce Development Program, meet Joyce Phelps, one of the participates at a ‘Pursuit of Employment’job fair. who runs the annual Martin Luther King Jr. communitywide celebration through Portland Public Schools. "One thing I try to share with the group is that we all have resources around us and regardless o f what our challenges are, our goals are attainable. A lot o f people are going through challenging times, but the more individuals surround them selves with others that are motiva tional and provide support, the bet ter." Bennie Hill, in her 60s, attended the PCC employment event and said it indeed gave her a boost. Hill, who works as a hairdresser and is inter ested in becoming an entrepreneur, has explored PCC to get more ad ministrative skills and wants to learn more about business plans. She's been to both Pursuit o f Employment get-togethers and has seen a tre mendous growth in the concept. Tracee Wells, who is an employ m ent sp e c ia list w ith P C C 's Workforce Development Program and is a certified life coach, trainer and career placement specialist, said the Pursuit o f Employment fair gives job seekers a way to build relation ships and find support. There were plenty o f connec tions at the recent event. Commu nity leaders and speakers included Roy Jay o f the African American Chamber o f Commerce and Project Clean Slate; Melissa Ballard, a sup portive employment coordinator; Eddie Lincoln, PCC's Workforce Network and Project Enterprise Coordinator, April Johnson, a PCC alumna; and Frank Harris, an asso ciate facilities manager. "Many times we limit how much effort we put into ourselves when we are working on a project yet we expect a different outcome," Harris told the crowd o f nearly 200." Know the true value o f time. Be prepared. Make every opportunity count. So, in everything you do, be committed to yourself and give it your best shot." Ken Berry, the 40-year veteran of Portland Public Schools, emphasized the power o f having an education in that preparation for finding a job. He worked at KGW radio as a disc jockey while taking classes at PCC. conneci wun us City of Portland Multnomah County P rocure m e nt S ervice s Sophia Cavalli, Procurement Supervisor: Greg Wolley: 503.823.6860, greg.wolley@portlandoregon.gov 503-988-5111 x 26106, Loretta Young: 503.823.6850, loretta.young@portlandoregon.gov sophia.cavalli@co.multnomah.or.us Gene Jackson: 503.823.9166, gene.jackson@portlandoregon.gov h ttp ://w w w .c o .m u ltn o m a h .o r. us w w w .p o rtla a d o n tin e . c o m /o m f/p u rc h a s e s •H -& . M i