County Executive Bellone Announces Seventh Annual Fresh Start Career Expo
County Offering Free Vocational Training Sessions February 25 and March 4 to Provide Candidates with Job Readiness Skills
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced that the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs will hold the 7th Annual Fresh Start Career Expo on March 27. The Fresh Start Career Expo is designed to help residents who have been recently released from incarceration find gainful employment. Fresh Start is a population-specific job fair initiative created by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, tasked through the Labor Department, providing opportunities and services to previously incarcerated individuals.
“For job seekers, finding employment is tough enough without the barriers faced by individuals with a previous conviction”, said County Executive Steve Bellone. “Fresh Start is aptly-named as the vehicle to help ready, willing, and able job seekers re-enter the workforce.”
Previously incarcerated individuals face significantly more barriers to employment than traditional job seekers, but those are usually barriers of perception on the part of hiring companies. Prospective attendees to the Wednesday, March 27 event may begin preparing a job-securing strategy at two training sessions, February 25th & March 4, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm, at the One-Stop Employment Center in Hauppauge. In partnership with Halo Network of Services, job counselors on hand will offer job search training, interview skills assessment, help crafting a resume, and identify employment barriers and management strategies.
Our community-based partners at Council of Thought and Action, Wyandanch Community Resource Center, Huntington Opportunity Resource Center, Adelante in Brentwood, and Bellport-Hagerman East Patchogue Alliance make sure many of their constituents are aware of the advance training sessions and are prepared for the expo.
Professional business attire is also available to expo job seekers at no cost from our boutique, Career Couture prior to the event.
Help organizations and hiring companies Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Re-Rout Office, SCCC/HVAC, CAM Employment, Legal Aide Society, Castella Imports, Nassau/Suffolk Law Services, Express Employment Pros, NYS Department of Labor, HLA Distributors, NYS Parole, Home Depot, Re-Entry Task Force, Modern Italian Bakery, SAS Retail Services, Suffolk County Civil Service, Sunrise Labs, TRI/ American Maintenance, Walmart, Well Life Network, and Winter Brothers will be on hand to meet prospective employees, schedule follow-up interviews and offer additional services.
For more information call Halo Network of Services Christina Woodward at 631-789-7373 or visit www.suffolkcountyny.gov/labor.
###