Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The storefront on the corner of Eighth Street and Second Avenue has been home to many businesses over the years. The latest was the Snowshoe Career Center, which recently had a name change to the Pocahontas County Career Center after Snowshoe Mountain Resort left the organization.
While the name is different, the services offered inside are the same. WorkForce West Virginia information specialist James Rawson said the center is still dedicated to serving the community.
“It’s really just a name change,” he said. “We’re still doing the same things. We’re still posting jobs for Snowshoe and telling people about the Snowshoe website. That’s not going to change. As far as helping people with unemployment, I will print them an application, have them fill it out. I’ll send it to the Summersville office and get them set up for unemployment.”
Along with WorkForce West Virginia, several agencies have offices at the career center.
“Our other partners in the career center are the DRS [Disability Resources and Services] and we still have Linda Simmons with the Chamber of Commerce,” Rawson said. “We have Katherine Marshall, who does things to help people with disabilities. Then, of course, we have our SPOKES class and our adult education class which recently added hospitality and tourism training. We have Pocahontas County Prevention Coalition.”
To celebrate the name change, the Career Center is hosting a grand re-opening Monday, October 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Along with giving the community a chance to network, the re-opening will have door prizes and give-aways.
Rawson is excited to be a part of the career center. A former valet at Snowshoe, Rawson feels he has found the place where he belongs.
“I found this job, and now that I have this job,” he said. “I finally feel needed again, which is something I was looking for.”