By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Several organizations are partnering to present a new career hiring event on Monday, Dec. 9.

The first Career Connect event, presented by 58 INC., The Shelby County Chamber, Central Six AlabamaWorks! and the Alabaster Career Center, will be held Monday, Dec. 9, from 5-7 p.m. at the Old Mill Square arts center building at 105 W. College St. in Columbiana.

“Through the partnership and support of Central Six AlabamaWorks!, we can now offer targeted hiring events through Career Connect – a platform created by our neighbors at West AlabamaWorks! and funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER grant program for coal-affected communities,” 58 INC. Managing Director Yvonne Murray said. “Job-seekers can attend an event, get entered into the Career Connect portal, access resources that help reduce barriers to employment (like training, child care and transportation), and meet directly with employers who have immediate, full-time hiring needs. Our community colleges – Jefferson State Community College and Central Alabama Community College – stand ready to provide training to those who may not get a job right away, and our Alabaster Career Center will be on site to help qualify those applicants for funding assistance for training or connect them to other job opportunities. This is hopefully the first of many of these events throughout the Birmingham region.”

Applicants will have the opportunity to hear from employers with substantial and immediate hiring needs, apply for open positions and access resources for training and career growth.

The event is open to anyone, regardless of residence. It is not limited to Shelby County residents.

The area’s four lead employers – Hibbett Wholesale in Alabaster, Summer Classics in Pelham, Alabama Therapeutic Center/GEO in Columbiana and VSF Fabricators in Vincent – each have 10 or more positions open; are based in Pelham, Alabaster, Columbiana and Vincent; and will be announced publicly soon.

For more information, email info@58inc.org.