I finally broke the news. I told my kids there will be no fireworks this fourth of July. My six-year-old son associates the holiday with fireworks, parades, barbecues, and the national pastime. Sorry pal, there won’t be any baseball this fourth either. This may be the right time to teach him the history of our country and the true meaning of our country’s independence. It is time he learns that our freedom has provided him the opportunity to achieve his highest aspirations and goals. It is time to introduce him to the American dream.
It all starts with a job, and that reason is why I enjoy working in the staffing and recruiting industry. To me, a job is an opportunity to grow and, at the very least, obtain financial independence. There is a public misconception that we are a “temp” agency, but that is not the case. We provide our employees with auditions to prove their skill sets to companies that need them. In fact, Maryland staffing agencies accounted for 42,300 workers per week in 2019.
The opportunities we provide have become increasingly beneficial as unemployment numbers increase. In April, unemployment in Baltimore City was up seven percent from the year before. The unemployment stimulus can be helpful but hinders the growth and opportunity of gainful employment provides. Despite the unemployment numbers, we employ more workers than we did pre COVID, thanks to our business partners.
We pride ourselves on providing these opportunities to people in need. Kennedy Services is located in the heart of Baltimore City’s empowerment zone. Empowerment Zones encourage investment in distressed areas.
Principles of the Empowerment Zone Initiative
- Strategic Visions for change
- Community-Based Partnerships
- Economic Opportunities
- Sustainable Community Development
We share these values and have answered that call. With 40 years of experience under our belt, we were providing these opportunities to the community well before the initiative. Hopefully, these jobs have assisted our employees in the pursuit of their dreams. The greatest benefit of our longterm partnerships is the front row seat we have to watch our candidates grow. One of the best calls I’ve fielded was a former employee who worked their way up the ladder and called us to hire someone of her own.
My hope is to watch my kids grow much like I watched that employee. The fourth of July is over, and there were no legitimate firework displays, but they still had a great day. Hopefully, they took away a little bit of what this holiday represents, and appreciate the freedoms that have been provided to them. My goal is to show them how the American dream starts with a job and grows with hard work and the desire to obtain their goals. The future is in their hands.
Matt Sarant is a proud member of the Kennedy Services family. Kennedy Services is one of Maryland’s oldest independent, woman-owned staffing services, located in the heart of Baltimore City. Kennedy Services continues to partner with businesses to support their growing staffing needs.