The Georgia Department of Labor’s Athens Career Center will host two job search workshops in September to help people move successfully from prison or probation into the workforce.

The workshops for these returning citizens are part of The Offender Parolee Probationer State Training Employment Program.

The first workshop will be held on Friday, Sept. 8, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the career center located at 150 Evelyn C. Neely Dr. A second workshop will be held Friday, Sept. 22, at the same time and place.

The workshops focus on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal Bonding Program, which helps the workforce employers give tax credits as incentives to hire returning citizens and other individuals who have difficulty finding jobs, such as supplemental nutritionist assistance program recipients, veterans with dishonorable discharges and others with poor credit or work history.

Attendees will register with Employ Georgia at employgeorgia.com, where they can get access to thousands of job openings. Then, they will view a PowerPoint presentation and be given a packet of information on how individuals who have difficulty finding jobs may become more employable.

Other features of the workshops include access to on-the-job training or retraining, job search workshops, online resume tutorials, labor market information, internet access and other resources. Also, information on community resources, including connections to faith-based organizations, along with clothing and food banks, will be provided.

The program is a joint effort of the GDOL, the Georgia Departments of Corrections and Community Supervision and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.

For additional information about the workshops, contact [email protected] or call the GDOL’s Athens Career Center at (706) 583-2550.