Businesses, community rally to relief by Blake Jones – The Garden Island Yesterday morning’s job fair for displaced airline workers went beyond mere networking. For employers, it was clear that their presence at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Hall doubled as
Businesses, community rally to relief
by Blake Jones – The Garden Island
Yesterday morning’s job fair for displaced airline workers went beyond mere networking.
For employers, it was clear that their presence at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Hall doubled as a show of support and sympathy following a shaky week for the local economy.
And for the recently laid-off Aloha and ATA employees, their presence marked a small step toward restoring stability to their lives.
Thalia Waiamau-Gonzales worked for Aloha, most recently as a customer service representative, for 19 years before losing her job this week.
“It’s scary and exciting at the same time, but I’m looking at all the options,” she said, scanning the 50 or so tables before her.
Jan Miyamoto, the county’s Workforce Investment Act administrator who helped organize the fair, said she cautioned employers that the crowd might require some time before starting anew.
“They have to get through the trauma and the sense of loss,” Miyamoto said of former airlines staff.
This week the county and Society of Human Resource Managers wasted no time arranging the fair and getting the word out to workplaces.
On why the community rallied so quickly around the displaced workers, Miyamoto chalked it up to Kaua‘i’s aloha spirit.
Plus, she said, such skilled workers entering the market is a “goldmine” for Kaua‘i employers.
“They are members of our community that have served us so well for so long,” said Elli Gorman, human resources manager for the Sheraton Kauai Resort. “We know that these are great people.”
The 55 who showed up, including a few displaced ATA workers and non-airline job seekers, were greeted by 47 companies representing a balanced slice of the island’s employment opportunities.
In addition, Kaua‘i Community College provided information about classes and training opportunities, First Hawaiian Bank and Kauai Community Federal Credit Union gave financial counseling, and Paxen Group offered advice on interviewing skills as well as resumes.
Kauai Coffee Co. Human Resources Administrator Joan Morita was impressed with the turnout of employers and said she was there for the same reason as the others: to show support.
Wal-Mart Training Coordinator Lei Drose agreed.
“It’s really nice for businesses on the island to support (the displaced workers) and offer them something to do,” Drose said.
The gesture didn’t go unnoticed.
“I’m very impressed and I appreciate all the employers taking the time to present what they have available,” said David Sakihama, a 36-year Aloha employee who was readying to retire from his customer service position when the airline shut down.
Some of the still-employed Aloha workers backed up their peers at the fair, including 29-year veteran Lawton Sugihara. He said that the cargo and operations workers retained by Aloha don’t have the same job security as before, even if the cuts didn’t touch them
“We like to be optimistic, but we have to face reality,” he said.
And while the event meant to connect jobs with workers may have been more cathartic than functional, it certainly got the healing process started.
“With each others’ support we’re getting through this,” Waiamau-Gonzales said.
