Suffolk County Executive Bellone Announces Success of 7th Annual Fresh Start Career Expp
Photos from the Event are Available Here
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced that the 7th Annual Fresh Start Career Expo held last Wednesday, March 27, assisted more than 150 job seekers. The Fresh Start Career Expo is designed to help residents who have been recently released from incarceration find gainful employment.
“One of the greatest barriers for job seekers looking to find meaningful employment is a previous conviction”, said County Executive Steve Bellone. “The Fresh Start Career Expo is specifically designed to assist those who are ready, willing, and able to start new and re-enter the workforce.”
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. 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.
Company representatives from 25 employers met motivated and qualified individuals and job seekers did not feel judged for a past mistake, but respected and praised for their abilities, positive attitudes and what they could bring to the job. The Expo was also open to all job seekers searching for employment.
Companies such as All Pro Parking, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, CAM Employment, Castella Imports, Express Employment Pros, HLA Distributors, Home Depot, Modern Italian Bakery, SAS Retail Services, Sunrise Labs, TRI/American Maintenance, Walmart, Well Life Network, and Winters Brothers hoped to find new staff among the over 150 attending job seekers.
Job seekers had the opportunity to receive job search training, interview skills assessment, assistance crafting a resume, and identifying employment barriers and management strategies prior to the event. Additionally, job seekers were able to receive professional business attire at no cost from the County’s boutique, Career Couture.
Prior to the start of the Expo, Breaking Barriers, a cooperative effort between Touro Law School, the Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County, Suffolk County Executive, Suffolk County Probation-Re-Entry Task Force, and LIMAC, offered a presentation to employers highlighting the difficulties faced by the day’s visiting job seekers.
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