ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County NCWorks hosted a NextGen Youth Career & Resource Job Fair on Wednesday, connecting students with local employers and resources focused on workforce readiness after high school.
The NextGen Program, through WIOA, is designed to help young people ages 14 to 24 explore options after graduation, including employment, post-secondary education and military service.
“The NextGen Program, through WIOS, is designed to help kids between 14 and 24 with ‘well, what comes after high school?’ Whether that’s going to be employment, post-secondary education, or trying to find whether they want to enlist in the military— it’s about trying to help them develop those skills and give them the help that they need,” said Travis McLeod, WIOA lead youth career advisor.
McLeod said the purpose of the event was to provide students with information about local employers and community resources available “to help them with their future.”
He said he hopes students leave the event understanding there are recruiters and organizations in the community ready to support them.
“They’re willing to help them as far as getting their first job or getting basic job knowledge. They’re here for them in this community,” McLeod said.
Eight employers and eight resource organizations participated in the event, including Carolina Hearts Home Care, Carolina Eye Associates, Enviva Biomass, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Richmond Community College Access to Achievement, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Pre-ETS, Graceland Portable Buildings, PNC Bank, U.S. Army recruiting services, the Richmond County Health Department, LabCheck Diagnostics, Truist Bank, Richmond Community College Adult Education and NCDHHS.
McLeod said the WIOA program operates through NCWorks and the Lumber River Workforce Development Board. Two Hawk Employment Services, the company McLeod works for, is partnering with the organizations to host additional events in Richmond, Bladen, Hoke, Scotland and Robeson counties.
The Scotland County NCWorks office is scheduled to host a similar event May 28.
“The kids seem to be getting a lot of information. You can see the smiles on their faces. They’re asking questions, it’s wonderful,” McLeod said.
McLeod shared that he once participated in the WIOA [previously WIA] program himself and now enjoys paying it forward by helping younger generations access the same opportunities.
“For me it’s even more important because I was a WIA kid myself, so I came through this program,” McLeod said. “A lot of kids don’t have this opportunity, don’t know the resources out there for them.The more we can push it out there, the more help they can get.”