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For the first time in 15 years, the Alabama Career Center System will have a facility in Chilton County.

It was announced during a ribbon cutting ceremony July 29 that the more than a decade long absence will come to an end when the new Clanton Career Center opens its doors Aug. 5 located at its temporary home at 310 Fourth Ave. N. This is the small building at the corner of the Senior Connection shopping center parking lot.

“Today is another milestone accomplished from our strategic plan,” Chilton County Industrial Development Authority Executive Director Whitney Barlow said.

Although the center is a welcome site to the area, there are still many future plans in the works around it including finding a more permanent and well-equipped facility to handle its needs.

“I’m excited for what the future holds,” career center supervisor Tara Seaborn said.

Even though it is expected to be temporary, the center’s direct location to downtown Clanton offers residents with viable options and helps limit transportation as a primary reason why people are not able to take advantage of the center’s services.

“We think it’s a great location,” Barlow said.

The center will offer a wide range of services for both jobseekers and employers.

Some of the services include on-the-job training and resume preparation for jobseekers and recruitment assistance and pre-employment screening for employers.

“A lot of times employers don’t have the time to try to recruit and screen (employees),” Seaborn said. “Those are things that we can do for them.”

According to Barlow, all the services are paid for through taxes.

“We’re really excited to provide these services here during COVID-19,” Seaborn said. “We can’t help people with their unemployment filing, but we can give them the information they need to help them get in touch with unemployment. That should be a big help.”

The center will be open for business on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 9 a.m to 4 p.m.

If the office is closed, but the situation calls for immediate assistance, residents are asked to call the Alabaster Career Center at 205-663-2542 or visit alabamaworks.alabama.gov for additional resources offered.

“A growing community needs to always look at its existing workforce both from the employee and employer sides,” Barlow said. “The IDA of Chilton County has continued to build a network in order for our county to create a strong pipeline from Pre-K to career. We are striving to meet the needs of our existing industry and look forward to the needs of new companies who could call Chilton County home.”