City, State provide resources for displaced workers

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — With the recent announcements of several plant closings in and around Marion County, the City of Indianapolis wants to make sure it has resources in place to aid displaced workers. The city says it is working with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and EmployIndy to provide career services to people who lose their jobs.

Virginia-based Nestle USA announced plans to close its distribution center on the near southeast side of Indianapolis by the end of the year. More than 170 workers will lose their jobs, according to the state WARN notice.

In August, Indianapolis-based Mitchel and Scott Machine Co. announced it will be permanently closing a machining plant in Indy and laying off 137 workers this fall.

According to the city, since May nearly 1000 Indianapolis workers have been identified by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development as potentially being affected by a company layoff or site closure.

“It is important that we work together with our partners at the State to deploy all the resources available to us in order to provide assistance for these dislocated workers,” said Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett. “Utilizing the services and tools available through WorkOne Indy, we will be able to better serve these residents as they search for the next step in their career.”

To provide further career assistance, WorkOne Indy career navigators work closely with individuals to identify transferable skills, refine resumes, apply for jobs, and prepare for interviews.

“Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible for the affected workers as we work quickly to maximize available resources and minimize personal and professional hardships often associated with job loss,” said Marie Mackintosh, chief operations officer at EmployIndy.