AN INTERVIEW WITH
Lisa Clark

  The Georgia Employer Committee would like to share with its viewers the EMR's who are vital to the success of the Local Committees throughout the State. This month we meet and talk with Lisa Clark of the Cedartown Career Center.

Tell us your name, your Career Center and how long you’ve been an EMR?

LC: - My name is Lisa Clark. I began working with the Georgia Department of Labor in 2004 at the Rome Career Center as an On-the-Job Training Coordinator. I have been an EMR at the Cedartown Career Center since June 2005.

Do you have any special talents, hobbies or interests you’d like to share?

LC: - My all-time favorite thing to do is travel. I love sitting on the beach reading a book or just watching the people. I’m currently attending college so between going to class and working, I haven’t really had time for a hobby. In the spring, I helped my husband plant a vegetable garden and our flower gardens and I found that I really enjoyed that. It was something that I had never done and I found that it was fun.

What led you to your position as an EMR and why?

LC: - While working as an OJT Coordinator, I found that I enjoyed working with and building the relationships with the employers so when the opportunity arose, I decided to apply. I love providing direct services to the employers and working to meet their needs. I like to be in the field meeting the employers, marketing the DOL services to them that will meet their needs, providing them with excellent customer service, and coordinating the special events such as Job Fairs and seminars. I also enjoy working with Employer Committee. We started with very few members and our committee has grown tremendously in just 1 year.

What do you feel is unique about the area in which you work?

LC: - Polk and Haralson counties are located near the South’s largest industrial centers-Atlanta, Birmingham, and Chattanooga. Since both counties are 45minutes-1hour away from Atlanta’s Hartsfield/Jackson Airport, it is within easy reach of the world’s largest cargo terminal. Most of the businesses in our area are small “hometown” businesses. Mills once dominated both counties but has been working to attract some distinguished industrial recruits like Jefferson Southern, Honda, Cingular, Engineered Fabrics, and Honda PPG of Georgia.

How active is your Employer Committee? What do you feel are its best features and biggest challenges?

LC: - The Haralson/Polk Employer Committee has been through some changes over the last year and is becoming more active and has grown in the past year. In June 2005, we started with basically 6 members; the Chairperson, co-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, the Career Center Manager, and myself. The Committee now has 35 active members and meets regularly every other month. We have spent the last year building our Employer Committee and regaining stability for the Committee. Having little or no activity with the Committee in the prior year almost depleted the members and their interest. We have worked hard to establish some good, solid members. The Committee has sponsored 4 informational seminars in the last year and is beginning be noticed in our communities. I feel that our best feature is the desire of the Committee to provide excellent information to other businesses and partners in our area. I think our biggest challenge is trying to figure out what the Committee perceives as our “purpose” in our community and what charitable organizations to donate our time and funds to.

Have you or your Employer Committee received any awards or special recognition?

LC: - As of today our committee hasn’t received any type of award or recognition but this is a goal that we do plan to reach one day.

What community activities do you participate in as an EMR?

LC: - I am actively involved in the Polk County Family Connections, Haralson County Collaborative, Polk County Collaborative, Polk County 2026 Committee, Focus on Abilities, Haralson/Polk Employer Committee, WIB/ Business Services Committee, a Graduate of the Polk County Chamber of Commerce Leadership 2006, Keeping Polk Beautiful Committee.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

LC: - Discovering and meeting the needs of our employers and working to earn their trust and respect.

In the future, what would you most like to accomplish as an EMR?

LC: - I have 2 things that I would like to accomplish as an EMR. The first is to build more partnerships with local businesses in our area and to make sure that each business in Haralson and Polk Counties are aware of each and every service that the DOL offers and how they can use the various services to assist them with their employment needs in order to save them time and money. The other thing would be for our Employer Committee to win “Committee of the Year” for accomplishments that we made during a given year.

What future trends do you see in employment needs in your area?

LC: - We need more industrialized employers in our area that offer good pay and benefits. We also need employers that will work with employees on retraining and education opportunities by offering incentives to obtain their GED or further educational certificates and/or degrees.

Cedartown Staff

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