Acquiring and maintaining meaningful work is one of life’s biggest struggles, and Life Change, along with business professionals in the community, aim to help.

Beginning May 8, Life Change will offer a class called Jobs For Life. It is an eight-week, 16-session course, taking place on Monday and Thursday nights from 6-8:30 p.m., with a meal from 5:30-6 p.m.

Jobs For Life focuses on restoring dignity, changing lives, and transforming communities. In the Jobs For Life class, students learn soft skills such as how to write a resume, how to construct a vocational plan, how to conduct themselves in an interview and how to communicate. But, the three most important things students learn in class are identity, character and community.

Members and leaders from churches, organizations and businesses in the community come alongside students in the class to help them learn more about themselves and what it takes to find and keep a job.

“Jobs For Life has found that poverty and joblessness are not caused by simply a lack of a job but a lack of identity,” a Jobs for Life press release said. “If you don’t care about yourself, don’t know who you are or why God made you then it is very difficult to get a job. You must first know your identity before you can start trying to find a job.”

Jobs For Life has also found that being ready for work is more about character than skill. Employers, small and large, say that they hire for character. They can train individuals on skill.

“Character means showing up to work on time, working well with others, being professional in the workplace and being responsible with your time and tasks,” the release said. “Without character it’s hard to keep a good job, let alone find one.”

Finally, obtaining and keeping a job takes a community of support.

“Without a healthy ‘who you know’ network, it’s very difficult to find a good job,” the release said. “The Jobs For Life class is a platform churches and organizations can use to bring together this community of support and teach men and women identity, character, and the understanding of the dignity of work.

“The Jobs For Life class is a place where dignity is restored, lives are changed and communities are transformed.”

The next Jobs For Life class begins May 8 at 6 p.m. The deadline to sign up is May 1. to sign up for the class or get more information, people may contact Derek Cornelius at 417-846-8590, or by email at Cassvilleumcoutreach@gmail.com.