Getting the job you want in the Kings Bay area requires planning ahead, tapping into available employment resources, networking and starting your search on the right foot. Much of your job search preparation can be done before you arrive in the form of research, preparing resumes; references, applications and gathering important documents to hand carry. Having a good idea of the skills you have to offer and the type of skills local employers are seeking will help shorten your job search. If you are currently at another base, your local Spouse Employment Assistance Program can help you prepare resumes, cover letters and employment applications.
This guide serves to give you an overview on types of employment within commuting distance of Kings Bay. Kings Bay is geographically situated within the town of St. Marys, Camden County, GA. Camden County has three towns: St. Marys, Kingsland and Woodbine, located about 14 miles north of Kings Bay. For employment research purposes, it is easier to think of St. Marys, Kingsland, Woodbine and Kings Bay as neighborhoods in Camden County. Kings Bay is less than 10 miles from the Georgia-Florida border. The resort town of Brunswick, GA (Glynn County) sits approximately 38 miles north of the base. Jacksonville, Florida is the nearest metropolitan area, just 40 miles south of Kings Bay.
As of September 2005, Camden County's unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, at par with the rate for Georgia. Just 17.9 percent of those working in Camden County in 2000 lived outside the county. Leading home locations of commuters to Camden were Nassau (FL), Duval (FL), Charlton (GA), Glynn (GA), and Brantley (GA) counties. Approximately 77.6 percent of working residents of Camden County worked in Camden County in 2000. Out-commuters almost quadrupled in number from 1990 to 2000. Duval County in Florida is the leading destination for these workers. Glynn and Nassau counties also attract significant numbers of residents from Camden. In some sense, Camden is serving as a bedroom community to both the Jacksonville (FL) and Brunswick areas.
Jobs for military spouses range from human resources, medical, health care, security, administrative / clerical, training / instruction / teaching / facilitation, child care, information technology, counseling, accounting, management, and retail / customer service. The wage scale for these various positions vary from $6.00 to $13.00 per hour. Local businesses include doctor offices, legal offices, accounting practices, retail, and pharmaceutical benefits. In addition, some spouses attain positions with the Board of Education. To close gaps in employment history, or be available to their children, many spouses become active community volunteers.
Largest Employers In Camden County and Surrounding Area
Based on the Department of Labor Area Profile, September 2005, the workforce estimate of Camden County is approximately 20, 018, with a population of 44,061 (2001). The surrounding community next to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is small businesses providing support services to the population assigned to the naval base or to those working for the major area employers.
The largest employers for Camden County are Southeast Georgia Health Care System, Camden Campus, Express Scripts Inc., V. T. Griffin Services, Inc. (Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay prime contractor), Wal-Mart Associates Inc., and Wolf Management Services Inc.
The largest employers for the Camden County surrounding area are Wal-Mart Associates Inc (Camden County and Glynn County), Brunswick Cellulose (Glynn County), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Glynn County), King & Prince Seafood (Glynn County), Lodgian Hotels Inc. (Glynn County), Rich-Seapak Corp. (Glynn County), Sea Island Co. (Glynn County), Teamwork Services, Inc. (Glynn County)
The largest employers of military spouses and family members within Camden County are the Naval Submarine Base, Southeast Georgia Health Care System, Camden Campus, Express Scripts Phone Center, Camden County Board of Education, local banks, medical offices, small business owners, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and smaller retail chains.
The Naval Base has several employers, including the Department of the Navy, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), Navy Exchange (NEX), Commissary, and numerous contractors. Major government contractors such as V. T. Griffin, Inc., has numerous sub-contractors for employment in facilities and grounds maintenance, security guards and clerks, food service and building custodial services, skilled trades positions and administrative positions. There are few openings in these two categories. Pay is excellent and job openings are competitive. Applications are available through the Spouse Employment Assistance Program. Other government contractors such as Electric Boat (General Dynamics), Lockheed Martin Aerospace Corporation, BAE Systems, Saratoga Medical Consultants, Professional Development Group, and Management Consultants, Inc., provide employment opportunities in technical, industrial, medical and administrative fields. Administrative and clerical positions on base are limited and highly competitive. The Spouse Employment Program Coordinator provides guidance for eligible applicants on how to apply for potential administrative, clerical, banking, and professional positions on base. The employers you apply with will depend primarily on your skills and the type of job you are seeking.
EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS
Good Prospects - Technical, medical, retail, food service, personal services, Navy Exchange, MWR, clerical/administrative (Off Base), and the hospitality industry.
Fair Prospects - Commissary, teaching, banking, childcare, self-employed.
Poor Prospects - Managerial, government (State or Federal), professional.
Clerical / administration positions are plentiful with an hourly wage of $8.50; patient advocate for Express Scripts $9:00/hr; bank teller $8.00 - $9.00/hr; Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) $6.75 - $8.00/hr, cashiers, front counter clerks, fast food and department store salaries range from $6.00 - $9.00/hr, custodial jobs range from $6.00 to $10.00/hr. Per the most recent quarterly wage information, "Average Weekly Wage Reports, 4th Quarter 2001, Workforce, Information Analysis Division, Georgia Department of Labor, the average weekly wages for Camden County was $546 per week. This would indicate $2184 per month average income. These wages do not include military wages. Minimum Wage is $5.15 per hour. Salaries in Jacksonville, FL are significantly higher.
STATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
The Georgia Department of Labor Kings Bay Career Center provides individual job search assistance and career counseling from highly trained professionals, local and national job listings, employment assistance to all military veterans, job search and financial management workshops, and a self-help library. Applying for Unemployment Insurance Benefits is through a computer based self-entry system.