Plans for the Third Northwest Georgia/Shorter University Job and Career Fair were unveiled Thursday morning during the greater Rome Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours program hosted by Shorter University.

“We’re trying to reach and help as many families as we can,” said Shorter’s Britt Madden Jr. “We still believe we can make a difference in the lives of families affected by unemployment in Northwest Georgia.”

Madden said that during the last two years, at least 215 people have been able to get jobs as a direct result of contacts made during the job fair.

The event this year is slated for September 22 at The Forum in downtown Rome.

Debbie Baggett, with the Georgia Department of Labor Career Center in Rome, said that 42 companies have already signed up to have booths this year, up from only 17 at this same point in time a year ago.

Ultimately a hundred or more companies are expected to have representatives at The Forum.

Madden said he’s heard from several companies that they were unsure of their participation because they were unsure of having any job openings in the immediate future.

Madden said his response to them was, “Is that your business plan, to never grow again?”

New Department of Labor Commissioner Mark Butler will be in Rome for the job fair on September 22.

Prior to the job fair, Shorter and the event sponsors including the Rome News-Tribune, Rome Radio Partners and the Department of Labor will host a Dress for Success seminar, designed for job seekers, at the Forum September 8 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

A Monster 101 program for employers will be held at Shorter’s Ledbetter College of Business on September 15, also from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.