DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contractor has launched a ‘Talent Marketplace’ to help CDC employees affected by the government shutdown and reduction in force generate extra income.
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The initiative, created by Sarah Boim, is hosted on the website ‘Fired But Fighting’ and aims to assist CDC employees in starting side hustles to bring in additional cash.
“CDC is such a huge employer in Atlanta. The loss of these jobs is going to trickle down through the community,” said Boim, the creator of the Talent Marketplace.
Vi Le, a former CDC behavioral scientist, told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen, “We had the best jobs in public health, and now they’re gone.”
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The government shutdown and previous reduction in force have left many CDC employees in financial difficulty, with some losing their jobs and others without pay.
The Talent Marketplace is designed to leverage the diverse skills of CDC employees, many of whom hold PhDs but face a lack of demand for their specialized training.
Vi Le, who spent eight years with the CDC, is participating in the marketplace by offering her floral design services for special events.
Vi Le expressed hope that her involvement in the marketplace is temporary.
“Like a lot of people, we’re not ready to give up our careers we’ve worked out entire lives for. The need is there. The public health need is there. It’s not gone just because the jobs are gone,” Vi Le said.
For more information about the Talent Marketplace, click here.
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