While the West Kentucky Workforce Board strives to prepare career-driven individuals with the right tools, handling the bad news can also be part of the job.
One such inference was made during Monday’s Pennyrile Area Development District meeting in Hopkinsville, when WKWB Business Liaison Tom Sholar announced that his organization has activated a “rapid response activity” to assist a score of individuals unexpectedly laid off from sprouting Trigg County business PJ Clark.
Set for 10 AM and 1:30 PM, Tuesday, September 20 at the Cadiz Renaissance Center on 49 Jefferson Street, Sholar noted WKWB Training and Data Specialist Tammy Hyde would be available to discuss and guide those recently unemployed toward important information — including education options, training, meaningful and gainful employment choices, unemployment insurance determinations, and generally a better pathway to support.
Sholar also noted that help is available for these workers now, as opposed to later.
Sholar added that Thursday’s job fair at Hopkinsville’s Bruce Convention Center could also be a great resource for those recently unemployed not just at PJ Clark Lumber — but for anyone seeking a new line of work.
Called the “Step Into A Job” Fair, more than 60 businesses — from hospitality to manufacturing, and from long-standing to coming start-ups — will be represented on campus.
Announced with considerable fanfare in June 2021 as a $5 million local investment, this local lumber company was founded by Jacob Wadlington and is based in Coppell, Texas. An official purchase of the Little River Dry Kiln facility on Cerulean Road, and 35 projected jobs by 2023, were supposed to be the backbone of this infrastructure. Multiple announcements of high-profile locals joining the team were also celebrated in the last 12 months.
Now, PJ Clark’s future in Trigg County seems to be in question.
According to multiple sources, this score of recent layoffs gave no indication as either being “temporary” or “permanent,” and there’s no clarity if any staff, new or old, is returning — or if the company’s doors are going to be shuttered.
During a special-called Cadiz City Council meeting in July 2021, Wadlington entered closed session with South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council Executive Director Carter Hendricks and SWK’s Associate Director Sharon Butts to discuss available tax incentive packages for the industry.
The company’s website, pjclarklumber.com, was still operating as of Monday afternoon, but the company’s Facebook profile hasn’t had any activity since April 28.
