Cherokee Office of Economic Development

Work Readiness Wednesday

Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has a resource for those looking for a job. Work Readiness Wednesday is a no-cost service that helps with such needs as résumé building and job search tactics.

It is an online initiative providing personalized support with: • résumé building • interviewing tips • job search tactics • soft skills

Held on a quarterly basis, the next Work Readiness Wednesday will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 29, by appointment only. It is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Pre-register for assistance (required). To access the registration form: • Scan the QR code provided. • Visit www.jotform.com/

CherokeeGAChamber/

WorkReadinessWednesday. • Contact Meagan@

CherokeeChamber.com. 2. Complete and submit the registration form. A chamber representative will contact you to schedule your appointment. 3. Meet virtually, via Zoom, with a local subject matter expert who is ready to assist you with creating your résumé and polishing your job search/ interview skills.

Reinvent Your Career At The Cherokee Career Expo

SUBMITTED BY THE CHEROKEE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The alarm rings. You roll out of bed, check your phone, and start framing your day. For many, that means an uphill battle in traffic after guzzling a cup of coffee.

While teleworking has become more commonplace since the start of the pandemic, more people are beginning to clock back in at their physical workplace.

In many ways, work as we know it has forever changed. From Fortune 500 companies with massive overheads to small businesses operating on a shoestring budget, businesses and employees have reinvented themselves to survive.

Much like other challenging times in history, innovation and progress arose out of necessity. Cherokee’s strong sense of community and perseverance were the bonds that held us together. Now, a year and a half later, Cherokee is seeing a resurgence of diverse, high-paying jobs.

Let’s face it – gas prices are not going down any time soon and neither are the fees to hop onto the managed express lanes. But there is a solution. Forget the commute and work in Cherokee.

If you have been thinking about making a life change or rediscovering your “why,” now is the perfect time. Reinvent your career and regain time by dropping the commute at the Cherokee Career Expo, 2-6 p.m. Aug. 18.

This annual event, held at the Northside Hospital Cherokee Conference Center, features some of Cherokee’s top employers, ranging from the awardwinning full service digital agency Black Airplane to Chart Industries – a leading global manufacturer of highly engineered equipment for the industrial gas and clean energy industries.

Roles are diverse and include high-paying careers in human resources, IT, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, administration and more.

Before heading to the expo and hitting submit on your next job, try a few of these best practices. • Your cover letter is often your first impression. Improve your odds of getting in the door by showcasing your personality and highlighting key strengths that you will bring to the job. • Update your LinkedIn page and ask a former mentor/coworker to recommend your work. • Highlight quantifiable accomplishments and identify ways your work has added value or improved your workplace. • Proofread, always. “A panda eats, shoots, and leaves” is different from

“A panda eats shoots and leaves.” • Practice makes perfect. Sharpen interview skills by practicing with a friend, mentor or family member. • Character matters. When arriving for the interview, treat the janitor the same as the CEO. • Dress for success. • Always follow-up with a thank-you letter.

Need personalized one-on-one resume assistance? Representatives will be available on-site at the expo beginning at 1 p.m. in the business center. We hope to see you at Cherokee’s largest hiring event on Aug. 18. Come dressed to impress and discover the opportunities that exist right here at home.

The Cherokee Office of Economic Development is the leading organization for business and film recruitment and industry retention and expansion. www.cherokeega.org.

History Cherokee

Expansion Offers Space for More Museum Visitors, Community Resources

The new Cherokee County History Center at 221 E. Marietta St. in Canton is slated to open in the spring of 2022. The center will spotlight Cherokee County’s rich history from prehistoric times to the modern days of growth and development. In the Cherokee County History Museum’s former location, at the historic marble courthouse, attendance ranged from 2,000 to 4,000 annual visitors. It is estimated that the new center will welcome 20,000 visitors a year, who will engage with museum exhibits, research resources and quality programming.

Located in downtown Canton’s former police station, which is undergoing renovations and construction, the new history center will be headquarters for History Cherokee, formerly the Cherokee County Historical Society. The center will expand the reach and impact of History Cherokee’s activities by serving as a new cultural asset for the community, with engaging exhibits, enriching educational resources and comprehensive programming. When complete, the center will feature a stateof-the-art museum, with more than 5,000 square feet of exhibit space, as well as a research center and library, for a total of 11,000 square feet.

In late June, History Cherokee announced the official groundbreaking of the new history center. “This project has been years in the making, so we’re excited to begin construction,” Executive Director Stefanie Joyner said. “This expansion will allow us to reach a larger audience and really interact with our community. We can’t wait to open our doors.”

New features within the center will include a large projection wall showing videos chronicling the history and development of the county, tabletop touch screens allowing visitors to explore topics in great detail, and largescale installations highlighting work and home life in Cherokee County over the centuries. The museum will feature educator-friendly resources, including an instructional guide with teaching standards, interactive children’s activities and a classroom for educational programming. It also will be a center for preservation advocacy, allowing for research into architectural history.

The main hall will play host to history programs. The research library will house information about historic buildings and local topics of interest. The climate-controlled archives room will house 120,000 items in the collection safely. The exhibit galleries will offer an engaging and mindful walk through Cherokee County’s history. Overall, the new center will allow History Cherokee to grow and reach a wider and more diverse audience, which will facilitate the preservation of our historic resources and the special places that make Cherokee County a great place to live, work and play.

From January 2020, to June 2021, more than 60 families, individuals, local governments, foundations and organizations made generous investments in the History in the Making Capital Campaign. During those 18 months, the campaign raised $2.5 million, about 90% percent of the initial $2.8M million fundraising goal, and it aims to exceed that mark through additional supporter initiatives.

“The level of community support for this project has been overwhelming and shows the deep commitment of those who live here to honor our history,” said Rebecca Johnston, the campaign co-chair. “This is a project that will benefit all Cherokee County residents, and that fact resonated with our investors. We are indebted to all those who have helped make this project possible.”

Visitors can interact with new features, including tabletop touch screens and a large projection wall showing videos chronicling the history and development of the county.

The lobby leads to the main hall, which will play host to history programs and topics of interest.

How You Can Help

Donations to the capital campaign are welcome. In the future, History Cherokee will need volunteers, researchers, members, patrons and participants to help with public programs and events at the museum. Stay tuned!

If you are interested in being a part in this transformational moment in Cherokee County history, please contact Stefanie Joyner at 770-345-3288, Ext. 1 or at sjoyner@historycherokee.org.