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Mobile Job Center: Bringing Jobs to Baltimore City Residents

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- A new tool to help connect people looking for a job to employment will hit the streets of Baltimore in weeks.

When looking for a job now-a-days, mostly everything is done online. So, for people without a computer or internet access, it can get challenging. Now comes the Mobile Job Center bringing the tools to find a job to 14 Baltimore neighborhoods where the unemployment rate is 50 percent or higher.

It's the beginning of connecting what is needed to those in need.

BGE and Exelon, along with the Enoch Pratt Free Library unveil their nearly two years of planning, creating a mobile job center with 13 computers, mobile wifi and more.

"So on each of the computers they'll have access to, not only the internet, but they'll have access to all the databases that we offer at the library. They will have access to resume assistance, in writing their resumes. They will have access to applying to jobs online," said Ryan O'Grady of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

Last year, the Enoch Pratt Free Library helped with 113,000 job searches at its nine branches and held 221 job and career program events attended by more than 1,000 people, and helped with 55,000 job related questions, mostly dealing with applications.

"My vision is to have three, four, five, seven of these units moving everyday throughout our city, because I know that the need is so great," said Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh.

The Mobile Job Center will travel to 14 Baltimore City communities where unemployment is 50 percent or higher.

BGE CEO, Calvin Butler says for a company that serves most of the city, they had to be part of a solution.

"For us not to lean in and try to make a difference, shame on us. This was another way we were trying to demonstrate to the community that we understand the issues and we're going to try to do something along the way change the dynamics of what's taking place," Butler said.

"Maybe to find something else that will benefit me at a higher pay. Or just something that will work out with my schedule, as far as school and everything else as a balance of equilibrium," said job seeker Shirrell Aiken.

The mobile job center will head out starting in May.

Mayor Catherine Pugh says the City is working on public- private partnerships to secure two additional mobile job centers in the future.

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