Attleboro Clothing Drive to Help Students Dress for Success

Job applicants might have the right skills, attitude and possess a GED or high school diploma.

But in this tight job market with dozens or more people often competing for just one job, what makes a better first impression for job applicants when meeting potential employers for the first time is how well and appropriately they dress, too.

And that is why the Adult Basic Education Department of the Attleboro campus at is conducting a Business Attire Clothing Drive until the end of February to help students enrolled in one of various programs be better prepared for job interviews.

 “Many of our students don’t have enough money to afford suitable business attire for job and internship interviews,” Kristen McKenna, Project Director of Adult Basic Education said. 

“We are preparing them to say and do the right things,” McKenna said. “”But we want them to put the polish on and look good for an interview.

“So we are looking for gently-worn business attire that still looks nice and that a person might not need anymore," McKenna said. "Perhaps instead of donating that type of clothing to other organizations, businesses people or individuals could come by here and leave them for us.”

McKenna says she’s reached out to a few area businesses to publicize their need for business attire and set up areas and bins where they can be donated and dropped off. She is also looking for other businesses to volunteer in accepting and allowing these items to be left and safely stored where they can be collected in the next 20 days.

Among the important items for business attire clothing for men, McKenna ranks shoes as one of the most important items. “Many young men don’t even own a pair of shoes; they have just a pair or two of sneakers,” she said. But she adds there are also needs for shirts, suits, ties, khaki and dress pants, among other clothing accessories. Women’s needs for business attire ranges from dresses, sweaters and blouses to shoes.

“Once the drive ends, we will clean and sort out the clothing, shoes and accessories and have a clothing sales day or bazaar in March so they can choose what they need,” McKenna said. “We might charge them a nominal fee such as 25 cents for a shirt, but any money we do get goes back into Advisory Council funds to be used to pay for GED and enrollment tests.”

The drive is expected to help several of the 120 students overall involved in the programs as they develop the necessary educational and trainng skills and establish the confidence they  must have to seek and land a job.

 Adult Basic Education at the campus also provides career-readiness training not just for younger students, but for older persons, too. “Some students enrolled here now may have been laid off at work in the last year or two and need to have better English skills or obtain a GED to get back into the job market,” McKenna said.

ABE has only been in effect for a few years at BCC-Attleboro. But they have helped to train and place several students in jobs already within the community. “We also conduct job fairs and job internship fairs,” she said

 “We have as small waiting list to become enrolled in ABE programs, but it is worth the time to come in and get orientation classes.”

 “And we have worked with various employers in the community such as the and to provide internships for our students,” she says. “We explore all kinds of ways to get our students into the job market.”

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