Community Career Fair Helps Develop Local Talent Pipeline

WINTERVILLE—Organizers of Pitt Community College’s first-ever Community Career Fair are calling the event a rousing success after hundreds of job-seekers came out to campus June 5 to network with representatives from area business and industry.
Organized by PCC Career Services, in partnership with NCWorks and the Region Q Workforce Development Board, the four-hour fair drew a mix of current students, recent graduates and community members. In all, 680 individuals visited the Craig F. Goess Student Center’s Davenport Multipurpose Room with resumes in hand to meet with 40 local employers representing more than 175 jobs in advanced manufacturing, business support services, health care, skilled trades and the public sector.
“We were completely blown away by the fair’s attendance,” said PCC Career Outreach Specialist Rachel Bridgers. “Since this was the first time we’ve hosted an event like this, we had no idea what to expect.”
Bridgers said she was grateful for the support Region Q and NCWorks provided the college in planning the event and added that she had no doubt the collaboration contributed to the “massive wave” of attendees.
“We coordinated the fair to give local employers an opportunity to connect with potential candidates for employment and to make sure members of the community are aware of the strong career prospects available in Pitt and surrounding counties,” Bridgers said.
In addition to jobs, the fair offered attendees information on PCC curriculum and continuing education programming as well as various support services, including the TRiO Educational Opportunity Center and Transitional Studies. Details were also made available on the RAMP East initiative, NCWorks of Pitt County, Division of Services for the Blind, and the PCC Food & Nutrition Services Employment & Training effort.
06/10/2019