The City of Atlanta announced that more than 250 former Turner Field employees and city residents attended its hiring fair on Thursday, December 8. In conjunction with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority, WorkSource Atlanta partnered with more than a dozen local organizations to offer residents entry to mid-level opportunities in construction, hospitality and tourism, security, transportation, and warehouse and delivery. The job fair was held at FanPlex.
 
“I am pleased that a significant number of residents took advantage of this week’s hiring fair,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “This event was a key component in our city’s efforts to connect local residents with jobs in their communities. The redevelopment of Turner Field will not only transform the surrounding neighborhoods, it will also allow residents to benefit from the area’s continuing economic growth.”

WorkSource Atlanta, which serves as the workforce system for the City of Atlanta, also accepted applications from residents to take advantage of its services including career counseling, career assessment testing, job readiness and interview skills training, computer skills training and resume workshops.

“We work every day to expand opportunities and offer skill sets to our local residents needed to participate in the twenty-first century economy,” said Melissa Mullinax, Interim Executive Director for WorkSource Atlanta. “We are pleased with the outcome of the Turner Field hiring fair, and will continue to ensure that job seekers have the skills and resources they need to attain sustainable employment.”

Employers from UPS; Hilton Hotels and Resorts; Home Depot; Georgia State University; Carter; Norred & Associates; All N One Security; Memco Staffing; Corporate Services Management; BestBank; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; and the City of Atlanta Departments of Watershed Management, Parks and Recreation and Public Works accepted resumes for a variety of open positions. Employers also conducted interviews on the spot.
 
“The Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority is committed to ensuring that former Turner Field employees are connected to careers with unlimited potential to achieve their goals and dreams,” said Keisha Lance Bottoms, Executive Director of the authority. “Residents in the Summerhill, Peoplestown, Mechanicsville, Pittsburgh, and Grant Park neighborhoods deserve sustainable opportunities in the midst of our redevelopment efforts of the Turner Field community.”
 
In August, Mayor Kasim Reed announced the sale of Turner Field to Georgia State University and Carter. The acquisition will provide substantial benefits to the surrounding community, including long-term job creation and business expansion, and will enable Georgia State to significantly expand its campus, now the largest public university in the state. Georgia State has plans for the adaptive re-use of Turner Field into a football stadium and a baseball park. The Carter redevelopment plan envisions a mixed-use development that includes residential options, retail, office and student housing.

As a result of the sale, Georgia State and Carter are expected to invest up to $300 million over a five-year period for the redevelopment project. The City of Atlanta is committed to connecting former Turner Field employees to jobs during the revitalization process of the community.