Oak Park Michigan Works Office : Working Hard for Local Business & Residents
Story by Sara E. Teller
Photo by Bernie Laframboise
The MI Works Oak Park office opened its doors over 40 years ago, working to connect job-seekers with steady employment and business owners with the help they need. The Oak Park School District has offered its support for the office’s various programs over the course of its existence. As part of Oakland County’s MI Works network, the Oak Park location is also funded by L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive, Oakland County Workforce Development Board & Talent Investment Agency, and the State of Michigan.
“We service everyone, mainly businesses and job seekers,” said Laura Robb of the Oak Park office. Robb is involved with the center’s business services and social media, and is a career coach. “We offer training, re-employment, and recruitment assistance for businesses.”
The Oak Park Career Center truly is a one-stop shop for all things related to employment for both employers and job candidates. Career advisors are available for one-on-one consultations, resume assistance, personalized skills analysis, networking help, interview preparation, third-party resource referrals, early access to job postings in and around the Oak Park area, information regarding federally funded job training programs and personal branding assistance.
For businesses specifically, the Oak Park Career Center offers outplacement services, on-the-job training support, labor market information, social media services, grant opportunities, veteran services, tax credits for new hires and fidelity bonding.
Robb loves being in Oak Park, especially, “the support of the school district and the City of Oak Park, as well as the wonderful residents of this great area and the businesses we service with workforce services.” She said catering to the needs of Oak Park residents and businesses can be challenging, though, too, especially with limited means for the unemployed to visit the center and readily report to work. “The need [is obvious] for an effective and affordable regional transportation system to provide access to available jobs throughout the region” and would be very helpful, according to Robb.
Oak Park’s MI Works offers computer training every Tuesday from 9:00 – 11:00 A.M. for those interested in brushing up on their tech skills. They also offer weekly resumé workshops and interview training. Resumé workshops help candidates organize their work history and format their resumés in a way that is easily understandable, readable and professional. Career advisors also offer assistance with crafting an effective cover letter. Interview preparation includes methods for creating a job search plan and finding available positions, job application dos and don’ts, what to expect, and how to prepare for interviews, proper follow-ups, and salary negotiations.
The Oak Park Center also offers a “Job Club” on Fridays from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. During this time, visitors can drop in and learn about job search strategies, news ways to look for careers, and career websites and resources. They can get assistance with their resumés and general information regarding average salaries levels. LinkedIn profile creation services are also available by appointment as well as interviewing practice sessions. Appointments should be scheduled prior to visiting the center.
To inquire about Oak Park MI Works’ services, interested parties can “visit our center which is centrally located in the heart of the city, connect via our social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter and visit our website and LinkedIn page for more information,” Robb said.
Due to severe budget cuts, the Ferndale MI Works office, located at Hilton and 9 Mile, will be closing by the end of the Summer of 2018, and its services consolidated with the Oak Park office.
The Oak Park MI Works office is located just south of Nine Mile Rd, four streets west of Coolidge, in the north end of the Clinton Center. Parking is located at the south end of the complex.
