DeKalb County’s Mobile Career Center, also known as the “jobs bus,” has been a big hit in the community, according to the DeKalb County Workforce Development.

The mobile center, which launched in February, is designed to help residents find employment by providing job search assistance, adult workshops and training, resume writing and interviewing tips. The bus has 13 computer stations, a meeting space, a smart board, and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Director of DeKalb County Workforce Development Sheryl Chapman said the mobile center has a lot of the amenities that are on site at the DeKalb County Workforce Development office.

“We do job leads, we help with resume writing, we have various software,” Chapman said. “People can come in and do a job search. They have access to the internet; and they can print, fax, copy–they can do all those things right there on that mobile unit.”

The jobs bus also has two staff members who help people with their resumes.

“Someone is always there to help you,” she said. “We’ve gotten feedback just to say it is a needed resource.”

Businesses are also able to use the mobile unit for recruiting, pre-employment screenings, interviewing and training.

“We partner with various employers but we have a business relations unit and its primary focus is to work directly with employers to match them with qualified applicants,” Chapman said.

Since launching, the jobs bus has attracted an estimated 2,000 people and been to approximately 200 locations in DeKalb County. DeKalb County’s unemployment insurance initial claims have dropped from 3,557 in October 2011 to 3,330 in October 2012. Chapman said they have been receiving good reviews about the bus.

“People couldn’t get to [the DeKalb County Workforce Development] all the time and we put the bus out in the community wherever it’s needed,” she said. “So, we’ve had people to say that it’s a great resource because they can come and use the internet, they can do the job search and practice interviewing.”

Chapman added that the mobile center helped the DeKalb County Workforce Development exceed the state requirements for performance for the ninth consecutive year.

“That is putting people back to work, helping people retain their jobs, as well as their average wages have met those thresholds,” she said. “We feel like we have really exceeded the bench mark that has been put out for us and the jobs bus definitely helps us do that.”

For more information about the Mobile Career Center, visit www.dekalbworkforce.org.