Photo by Leah Hetterberg
Creating a new workforce solution
You’ve told us you’d like your kids to either stay in the community or come back after being in the world a little bit. Here’s one way to get them interested in your businesses and community.
Let them experience your business.
Don’t just preach at a one-day event and discuss what you do. Bring them onsite for half a day, and let them work with you. Either by job shadowing or paying them to help in your business.
Blue Collar Career Fair
Tony Guidroz, from San Saba, Texas, told us he was shocked when he found out there were 702 kids in the local school district, and more than 400 were considered “at-risk” either because of grades or language barriers. Tony wanted to give them more choices and more chances. So, he shared his idea for a Blue Collar Career Fair.
He brought heavy equipment operators, an HVAC contractor, a stone mason, a plumber, an electrician, and a welder, all to one location for hands-on demonstrations. The kids could try their own hands at moving some dirt, burning some metal, or stripping some wire.
Tony hopes to grab the attention of some kids who haven’t thought about these high-paying local jobs that are in high demand but don’t require four years of college.
It’s a new mindset
You see the new mindset at work here: Rather than employers letting grades or language barriers stop kids from applying, they’re connecting directly.