Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), Save Our Sons, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Job Corps, Workforce Connections and the City of Knoxville are bringing a career fair to Lonsdale Homes. The event will be held at 2020 Minnesota Ave., on Friday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The career fair, targeted to low-income young people ages 16 to 24, was created in part in response to the “Stop the Violence” community forum held earlier this year at Fulton High School following the death of Zaevion Dobson, who was shot shielding his friends from gang-related gunfire in Lonsdale in 2015.
“Many individuals attending the community forum said that young people need help with training and finding jobs,” said Art Cate, KCDC executive director and CEO. “KCDC welcomes being a part of this event, and we hope it will raise awareness of the help that is available and encourage more young people to take advantage of some excellent opportunities.”
“One of the goals that we identified for the Save Our Sons program was to increase employment opportunities that would help provide direction to Knoxville’s young people,” said City of Knoxville Senior Director of Community Relations Dr. Avice Reid. “With this particular program, we hope to bridge the gap of youth unemployment by partnering those companies and individuals who have jobs to offer with people who need jobs.”
Dr. Reid and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero will attend the event at 11 a.m. to speak with and encourage job seekers.
The career fair will offer several tools, programs and options to assist job seekers. Interviews and hiring will be conducted at the event with offers of jobs on the same day.
• The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development East Tennessee Career Coach will be on-site. Career Coach professionals will assist with job searches, resume writing, interview skills and registering online with Jobs4TN, where there are almost 200,000 jobs available across the state.
• Representatives from local staffing company Express Employment Professionals will be interviewing and hiring at the event for a variety of jobs, such as machine operators, assembly line positions, building maintenance and landscaping.
• Alzena Hewitt, project director for Job Corps in the state of Tennessee, is coming from Nashville, and Stephen Jeter, Job Corps admissions counselor, also will attend. Hewitt and Jeter will assist participants in accessing the opportunities available through Job Corps, such as earning a GED or high school diploma; obtaining a driver’s license; learning a trade; and securing job placement; and the provision of meals, living allowance, basic medical, dental and vision coverage and more.
The career fair event is supported by Knoxville’s Save Our Sons, a local initiative that has grown out of national dialogue for creating more opportunity for young men and boys of color. The Cities United coalition through the National League of Cities and President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper challenge, like the Save Our Sons initiative in Knoxville, aim to strengthen community partnerships to build safe, hopeful communities while reducing violence-related deaths.
Lonsdale Homes is a KCDC-owned, affordable housing property in Northwest Knoxville. In 2008, Lonsdale Homes underwent a $26 million revitalization and modernization of its 260 units to increase curb appeal of the residences and create a renewed sense of community.
Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville. KCDC’s mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, visit https://www.kcdc.org.