LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Spirit Airlines shut down its operations on May 2, leaving hundreds of employees at Harry Reid International Airport searching for new jobs and wondering what their futures would hold.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation stepped in with a rapid response plan to help displaced workers get back on their feet.
WATCH | Shellye Leggett spoke with former employees and DETR officials to learn more about the help being offered:
Steven Pereira worked as a flight attendant for Spirit Airlines for 10 years. He described the sudden job loss as a major disruption.
"Catastrophic, really, because so much of my identity and so much of my capabilities were founded in that job. I just, I just loved it. People loved to hate us. I just wish that they knew how much we loved them," Pereira said.
Pereira said the job gave him the chance to travel the country and connect with people in cities large and small.
"New York, Chicago, you know, all these places, but Columbus, you know, Columbus, Ohio, Manchester, New Hampshire, little places all over the country that just, we just found pockets of amazing people, amazing culture," Pereira said.
Despite the loss, Pereira said he is embracing what comes next.
"I would call it a midlife renaissance," Pereira said.
Miltia Hawkins with DETR said when the agency learned what was happening with Spirit Airlines, the team moved quickly to organize career events for affected workers.
More than 60 former Spirit employees attended the first rapid response career event. Hawkins said former coworkers helped spread the word.
"Come in, let us help you. We're here. You're not alone in this," Hawkins said. "I personally have friends that I know that work for Spirit, and I sent them texts like, hey, you know what I do? Come on in here like we can help you out and they're like, oh my gosh, that is amazing."
DETR offered a range of services at the events, including employment assistance, job training, and help with benefits.
"We offer employment assistance for any of our community families or individuals that are looking for work. We assist them with work-related items if they're looking for items, because if you don't have a job, it's kinda hard to get the, you know, start work if you need items to start work, so we assist with those items to get them started to work. We also offer training," Hawkins said.
Workers were also connected with a Department of Social Services representative on-site, so they did not have to travel to a separate office to access benefits like SNAP.
"Assistance with SNAP benefits or anything like that, and we have a Department of Social Services worker here and he was able to connect with them. He didn't have to leave and go to another office," Hawkins said.
Pereira said attending the career event led to a job interview with a state department. He is now waiting for a background check to clear before starting a new career.
He said he hopes other former Spirit employees who have not yet taken action will consider reaching out for help.
"What I thought was silly, just inconsequential, sitting upstairs and, you know, listening to someone talk about unemployment and I didn't think that it would be as impactful, but I have a lot of friends who are still not taking action in moving forward because it's still fresh. Two weeks isn't that long to recover from the grief, and they're still taking time," Pereira said.
"But because of these people, they gave me permission to move, take action, and reap the rewards," Pereira said.
The final planned rapid response career event for former Spirit Airlines employees is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at the North Las Vegas EmployNV Career Hub at 2827 Las Vegas Blvd N, North Las Vegas, NV 89030, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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