MIAMI, FL (October 30, 2019) – The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative and JobLaunch.org—in partnership with major national and local employers, as well as Miami-Dade County civic leaders and a vast coalition of local youth empowerment nonprofits—are working to help thousands of Miami youth move one step closer to meaningful employment through the Miami Youth Hiring Days initiative. Supported by the Schultz Family Foundation, Miami Youth Hiring Days, including its virtual job fair and “pop-up” hiring events, offer employers new tools to find and hire motivated, untapped young talent, while helping more young people overcome the barriers that stand in the way of launching their careers.
Despite a record-low national unemployment rate of 3.5%, there are 4.5 million Opportunity Youth in America—young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of school or unemployed—and more than 72,000 Opportunity Youth in the greater Miami area, according to Measure of America. Young men, youth of color and youth with disabilities are more likely to be disconnected. A competitive labor market—combined with the need to hire workers for the coming holiday season—has employers looking to Opportunity Youth as an important pipeline for talent.
“Companies recognize the value young people bring to the workplace, but they need support to recruit and retain youth in today’s tight labor market,” said Daniel Pitasky, executive director of the Schultz Family Foundation. “We are excited about the impact innovative efforts like the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative’s Miami Youth Hiring Days are having to build effective workforce pathways for young people.”
These events build on two previous National Youth Hiring Days, with the most recent event in May reaching nearly eight million and mobilizing over 150,000 youth to take action in pursuit of their next job opportunity. Last week, as part of the Miami Youth Hiring Days online job fair, several thousand Miami youth logged on to connect with and open 1:1 conversations with participating employers. Today, at least 1,000 young people are expected to be on hand at the “pop-up” job fair being hosted in the Wynwood Art District with leading employers, nonprofits that help youth further their careers or education, food trucks, music and a live art installation. The goal of both events is to bring young people and employers together in a new way—providing a blueprint for future events.
Miami Youth Hiring Days includes the following events and resources:
“Connecting young adults to employment opportunities and workforce skills training is a critical priority for Miami-Dade County,” said Mayor Carlos A. Giménez. “In collaboration with 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Schultz Family Foundation and corporate and community partners, we can help ensure that all young people in our community have the support they need to reach their potential.”
Over the past four years, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has taken purposeful action to develop a coalition of leading employers committed to hiring and retaining Opportunity Youth, helped connect them to best-in-class youth empowerment nonprofits and become a hub for sharing emerging employment best practices. In its current chapter, the initiative has become a youth hiring innovation engine—pioneering new digital and place-based strategies that help employers connect with motivated youth and help in-need young people overcome hurdles that prevent them from getting hired.
“Miami Youth Hiring Days is an exciting new online-and-offline remix of the age-old job fair, specifically designed to deliver meaningful outcomes for both employers and youth,” said Jason Rzepka, employer liaison for the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative. “There are employers in Miami with thousands of positions they need to fill now and thousands of motivated, talented young people who are ready to work; we feel a moral and economic responsibility to help bridge that divide. We’re humbled to be joined by scores of sterling companies, nonprofits, institutions of higher learning, civic leaders and artists who share our vision and urgency.”
About 100,000 Opportunities Initiative
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ has built the nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to creating pathways to employment for young people. Coalition companies help launch careers for young people who are just entering the workforce, including full- and part-time work, as well as internships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. These companies are committed to developing potential in youth who are looking to gain skills that lead to successful careers. Visit 100kOpportunities.org for more information.
About Schultz Family Foundation
The Schultz Family Foundation, established in 1996 by Sheri and Howard Schultz, aims to unlock America’s potential, one individual and one community at a time. The Foundation believes that one’s potential should not be determined by their zip code and that this generation of young people represent assets that can have a significant impact on the future of our country. By investing in innovative, scalable solutions and partnerships, the Foundation works to close the growing opportunity gap for the 4.5 million youth and young adults aged between 16 and 24 who are out of school and seeking work. Through its Opportunity Youth Initiative, the Foundation invests in clear pathways to employment and innovative initiatives in areas such as mentorship, job readiness, and community connections. Visit SchultzFamilyFoundation.org for more information.
About JobLaunch
JobLaunch is an initiative started by Get Schooled and the Schultz Family Foundation to help Opportunity Youth start down a path of success and self-sufficiency through employment and a solid online support network. The JobLaunch.org digital platform provides motivated young talent with tips and resources, employment opportunities, one-on-one career coaching through a dedicated textline and more. Visit JobLaunch.org for more information.
Online Job Fair and “Pop-Up” Event Demonstrate New Ways to Connect Opportunity Youth to Companies in a Competitive Labor Market
Participating Employers Include Five Guys, Florida International University, Macy’s, Miami-Dade County, Nordstrom, SIXT rent a car, Starbucks, T-Mobile, The Doral Yard and The U.S. Census Bureau
MIAMI, FL (October 30, 2019) – The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative and JobLaunch.org—in partnership with major national and local employers, as well as Miami-Dade County civic leaders and a vast coalition of local youth empowerment nonprofits—are working to help thousands of Miami youth move one step closer to meaningful employment through the Miami Youth Hiring Days initiative. Supported by the Schultz Family Foundation, Miami Youth Hiring Days, including its virtual job fair and “pop-up” hiring events, offer employers new tools to find and hire motivated, untapped young talent, while helping more young people overcome the barriers that stand in the way of launching their careers.
Despite a record-low national unemployment rate of 3.5%, there are 4.5 million Opportunity Youth in America—young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of school or unemployed—and more than 72,000 Opportunity Youth in the greater Miami area, according to Measure of America. Young men, youth of color and youth with disabilities are more likely to be disconnected. A competitive labor market—combined with the need to hire workers for the coming holiday season—has employers looking to Opportunity Youth as an important pipeline for talent.
“Companies recognize the value young people bring to the workplace, but they need support to recruit and retain youth in today’s tight labor market,” said Daniel Pitasky, executive director of the Schultz Family Foundation. “We are excited about the impact innovative efforts like the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative’s Miami Youth Hiring Days are having to build effective workforce pathways for young people.”
These events build on two previous National Youth Hiring Days, with the most recent event in May reaching nearly eight million and mobilizing over 150,000 youth to take action in pursuit of their next job opportunity. Last week, as part of the Miami Youth Hiring Days online job fair, several thousand Miami youth logged on to connect with and open 1:1 conversations with participating employers. Today, at least 1,000 young people are expected to be on hand at the “pop-up” job fair being hosted in the Wynwood Art District with leading employers, nonprofits that help youth further their careers or education, food trucks, music and a live art installation. The goal of both events is to bring young people and employers together in a new way—providing a blueprint for future events.
Miami Youth Hiring Days includes the following events and resources:
“Connecting young adults to employment opportunities and workforce skills training is a critical priority for Miami-Dade County,” said Mayor Carlos A. Giménez. “In collaboration with 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Schultz Family Foundation and corporate and community partners, we can help ensure that all young people in our community have the support they need to reach their potential.”
Over the past four years, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has taken purposeful action to develop a coalition of leading employers committed to hiring and retaining Opportunity Youth, helped connect them to best-in-class youth empowerment nonprofits and become a hub for sharing emerging employment best practices. In its current chapter, the initiative has become a youth hiring innovation engine—pioneering new digital and place-based strategies that help employers connect with motivated youth and help in-need young people overcome hurdles that prevent them from getting hired.
“Miami Youth Hiring Days is an exciting new online-and-offline remix of the age-old job fair, specifically designed to deliver meaningful outcomes for both employers and youth,” said Jason Rzepka, employer liaison for the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative. “There are employers in Miami with thousands of positions they need to fill now and thousands of motivated, talented young people who are ready to work; we feel a moral and economic responsibility to help bridge that divide. We’re humbled to be joined by scores of sterling companies, nonprofits, institutions of higher learning, civic leaders and artists who share our vision and urgency.”
About 100,000 Opportunities Initiative
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ has built the nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to creating pathways to employment for young people. Coalition companies help launch careers for young people who are just entering the workforce, including full- and part-time work, as well as internships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. These companies are committed to developing potential in youth who are looking to gain skills that lead to successful careers. Visit 100kOpportunities.org for more information.
About Schultz Family Foundation
The Schultz Family Foundation, established in 1996 by Sheri and Howard Schultz, aims to unlock America’s potential, one individual and one community at a time. The Foundation believes that one’s potential should not be determined by their zip code and that this generation of young people represent assets that can have a significant impact on the future of our country. By investing in innovative, scalable solutions and partnerships, the Foundation works to close the growing opportunity gap for the 4.5 million youth and young adults aged between 16 and 24 who are out of school and seeking work. Through its Opportunity Youth Initiative, the Foundation invests in clear pathways to employment and innovative initiatives in areas such as mentorship, job readiness, and community connections. Visit SchultzFamilyFoundation.org for more information.
About JobLaunch
JobLaunch is an initiative started by Get Schooled and the Schultz Family Foundation to help Opportunity Youth start down a path of success and self-sufficiency through employment and a solid online support network. The JobLaunch.org digital platform provides motivated young talent with tips and resources, employment opportunities, one-on-one career coaching through a dedicated textline and more. Visit JobLaunch.org for more information.