Cowen Institute co-hosts Opportunity Fair to reconnect youth to workforce
The EMPLOY Collaborative, an initiative supported by the Cowen Institute, will host the 100k Opportunity Fair, a holistic job readiness and employment event for the city’s estimated 7,000 opportunity youth. Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano.
The EMPLOY Collaborative, an initiative supported by the Cowen Institute, will host the 100k Opportunity Fair, a holistic job readiness and employment event for the city’s estimated 7,000 opportunity youth, which are 16- to 24-year olds who are not connected to school or work.
The free event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 29, at Generations Hall.
Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the event brings together job training and education programs, support services, career exploration, on-site job readiness assistance and employment opportunities. Every young person attending the event will have a chance to leave connected to at least one opportunity, such as signing up for a training program, updating their resume, getting connected to financial services, or interviewing with an employer — that will help them progress along a career pathway.
Free shuttle service to the event will also be provided from several areas across the city. A schedule is available online at http://www.employcollaborative.org.
The event directly supports EMPLOY’s mission to implement collective solutions to engage opportunity youth in quality education and employment pathways. It offers a chance for employers to access an untapped talent pipeline and links services and programs to young adults. EMPLOY has partnered with leading national organizations, FSG and the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, to host a cross-industry employer convening the following day to dive deeper into hiring and retention practices.
“Every young person in New Orleans has skills to offer and deserves to have access to the programs, supports, and employment opportunities that will help them improve their situation and their community,” said Grace Franklin, EMPLOY YAT member and community outreach coordinator at Louisiana Center for Children's Rights. “We’ve done our best to ensure the 100k Opportunity Fair has something for everyone…and then a little lagniappe!”
The event is a part of the national 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, the country’s largest employer-led coalition committed to creating pathways to meaningful employment for opportunity youth.
