By Jason Stuart
Ranger-Review Staff Writer
Dawson Community College, in partnership with the Glendive Job Service, is hosting a “Resource Fair” this Thursday as a way to try and help those who recently lost their jobs with BNSF Railway.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in the DCC library, which is located in the Main Building on campus.
Immediately after the job cuts were announced by BNSF last week, DCC President Scott Mickelsen and other college officials began trying to make plans for a means to help those affected. Mickelsen said Thursday’s event is the first step in that process.
“This is going to be kind of the first phase, then the second phase will be the job fair we hope to put on in a couple of weeks,” Mickelsen said.
DCC is working to line up several different counselors and experts for Thursday’s Resource Fair to discuss various issues with the former BNSF employees and their family members. Mickelsen said they are looking to have a mortgage counseling expert, a credit counseling expert, a mental health counselor and a veterans benefits representative available for attendees to talk to.
Mickelsen added that DCC and Job Service are also working to compile a “networking list” to distribute to attendees. He said that could be especially helpful for those who have not lived long in Glendive or have made few business contacts outside of the railroad community.
“That network thing is so powerful and can really help people out,” Mickelsen said.
Attendees will also be asked to fill out a survey so that DCC and Job Service officials can better tailor a plan to meet their needs.
“We’re gonna have a survey, and on that survey we want to know what else we can do to help them,” Mickelsen said.
DCC will be providing child care services during the course of the event so that couples with young children can attend together.
Mickelsen also noted that while the event is specifically set up to aid those affected by the BNSF job cuts, anyone who is currently seeking employment is welcome to attend.
He added that DCC’s hope for the event is that it can serve as a model that college and community officials can roll out anytime there is a major upheaval in the local job market.
“We’re hoping to have a nice, solid model so if these unfortunate events happen again we can act more quickly,” Mickelsen said. “Hopefully we can learn from this and it will be a good model for the future.”
Reach Jason Stuart at rrreporter@rangerreview.com.