EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — More than 700 people are now looking for a new job after they got laid off at the Tyson Foods plant location in Eagle Mountain. Thankfully, local organizations are coming together, to help them figure out what comes next.
"I know that this is a bump in the road for us, I know that this will impact families, and I also know how amazing the people of this community are and how we're going to help each other get back on our feet,” said Melissa Clark, the CEO of the Valley Crossroads Chamber of Commerce.
It's been a bumpy week for the Eagle Mountain community, seeing that one of their biggest employers will be shutting down in just two months.
"This is our citizens', our residents' livelihood. Nobody wants to see that kind of thing happen, not in our community or any community because people have dedicated five years since it's opened,” said Abby Ivory, the Eagle Mountain economic development director.
‘It’s scary’: Tyson plant closure leaves 700+ Eagle Mountain workers with uncertain future
The plant's closure impacts not only the 723 employees who work there, but also the community at large.
"We have members of the chamber that are a pest control company for out in Tyson, there's different entities that go up there and serve them. Sometimes they'll even have food trucks come out there and losing a major employer like that means those opportunities are no longer going to be available,” said Clark.
That's why the Eagle Mountain Economic Development team and the Valley Crossroads Chamber of Commerce are creating programs to help those impacted by the plant's closure.
"Any job seekers in the area, whether they were employed at Tyson or elsewhere, can come and get job coaching and employment help,” said Clark.
"We're working with the Department of Workforce Services to try to get them services. There's a job fair coming up; there's actually two, later on this month and next month,” said Ivory. "There's 100 employers that are ready to hire on the spot at the next job fair."
Both Eagle Mountain Economic Development and the Chamber of Commerce say they're also offering services to small businesses impacted by the plant's closure to help them grow.
