B&T News Offers Hope To Laid Off Workers

 Former AmEx employees that were laid off when the call center closed in Greensboro see hopeful opportunity in BB& T's move to Greensboro.The announcement that BB&T is bringing 1,700 new jobs to the Triad has a ripple effect all across the community.

However, the 1,500 American Express employees that were suddenly out of a job in 2011 are perhaps seeing the brightest light at the end of the tunnel.

The same building they packed their things and left is now coming back to life.

There's a facebook page, GSO AmEx Alum with over 1,300 members. It's a closed group but one member, Diana Marcus told News 2 that the members share networking information and job postings.

Diana Marcus worked for American Express for 23 years. Her husband, Chuck also worked with AmEx.

They were both laid off in July of 2011. Diana went back to school and Chuck just recently got a job. They stay connected with former AmEx employees on the facebook page. They're always open to new opportunities and want to know what's out there.

Recently, the news about BB&T made the facebook wall. It's welcomed news to some of the members who have been looking for work since January 2011.

Some of the area's organizations that offer aide to struggling families also see this as a hopeful sign. The Greensboro Urban Ministry is seeing far more middle class families than ever before.

Rev. Mike Aiken, Executive Director at the Greensboro Urban Ministry said, "It's because of the economy. Many of these folks have been laid off from jobs like people working at American express. A lot of people that had pretty good paying jobs are coming to us. They're really embarrassed about it but they need the help." 

Just on Wednesday alone, 100 families requested financial assistance. Urban Ministry even hired an unemployment specialist in the last year to help people find area jobs. The BB&T mass hiring is a tremendous opportunity. 

"We see a number of people who will hopefully qualify for many of those jobs. 1,700 jobs will help a whole lot," added Aiken.

BB&T will start bringing 50 to 100 jobs to the former AmEx building by December. They'll phase in the new hires over the next five years.