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Dixon leaders are working to better diversify the city’s workforce

One out of every ten people who live in Dixon is African American but that’s not the racial make-up of those who work for the city.
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DIXON, Illinois - Randy Edwards is one of the people learning how to apply for a job with the City of Dixon.

"I came on out because I'm looking for a good position to work for," said Edwards.

The city wants a more diverse range of applicants.

"We're not just looking to hire minorities, we're looking to hire the best qualified applicants but we're not getting applications from minorities," said Danny Langloss, City Manager.

One out of every ten people who live in Dixon is African American but that's not the racial make-up of those who work for the city.

"If an African American looks at the city staff and all they see is white people on the city staff it kind of just sends a subliminal message, just need not apply," said Langloss.

This problem isn't new or unique to the city.

"It happens in the private sector, it happens all over, it's important that people who do see it and do care become more proactive," said Pastor Michael Cole, The Worship Center

Pastor Cole is helping Dixon coordinate this job application workshop, an effort to make sure the city has a more diverse pool of candidates.

"There are a lot of great things that happen with small beginnings and so I'm really excited about the word starting to get out and people understanding that there's a dynamic cultural change that's taking place in Dixon," said Cole.

For Randy, he hopes to get a job with the city to become a bigger part of his community, "I'm gonna shine, I'm definitely gonna shine at what I do."

The city is accepting applications for a public works specialist in the street department.

The city also plans to reach out at high school and college job fairs.

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