in Canton gave 300-plus workers the word last month that the plant is closing for good this month, and they鈥檙e all out of work. is offering a special set of information sessions to help the employees find something new.
The Ohio Means Jobs Stark and Tuscarawas counties office set up workshops this week at its locations in Canton and New Philadelphia for the laid off employees. Two of the first-day attendees said it helped because it gave good information and a sense of hope.
Melinda DeHoff of Canton was an office employee at Union Metal.
鈥淚 was more in the clerical end, so that鈥檚 where I鈥檒l stay. I am a medical transcriptionist, so I鈥檓 hoping that might help me get into that.
Mike Basiewicz of Massillon, who is past 60, is taking another tack in trying to continue his career as a mechanical/electrical designer.
I鈥檓 in the hunt, but I鈥檓 looking at other options, too: to try and incorporate as an LLC, so a corporation isn鈥檛 taking the responsibility of hiring an old guy. They鈥檒l hire a limited liability company.
The two-hour workshops provide information and how-to鈥檚 on things like web searching for employment, resume writing, and interviewing.
Amy Miller, who leads the job training program, says people who can鈥檛 make scheduled sessions can still get help.
鈥淚f they鈥檙e not able to attend one of these sessions, maybe because of the weather, or something else鈥攜ou know there are a lot of sick people running around right now鈥攖hey can always call us and schedule for these appointments as well. We don鈥檛 want there to be any reason for them to feel like they can鈥檛 get an appointment or see someone to do a resume.鈥�
All told, 339 people were, or will be terminated in the closing of Union Metal.
The operation, in Canton since 1906, was one of the country's leading manufacturers of landscape and street-lighting equipment.