ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™, a coalition of America’s leading companies and foundations, is joining forces with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and more than 75 local leaders and service providers to host the Atlanta Opportunity Fair at the Georgia World Congress Center on May 3. The day-long job and resource fair will launch an unprecedented long-term effort to bring jobs and economic opportunity to young people ages 16-24 facing systemic barriers to employment. The coalition hosting the May 3 hiring event announced today that any youth interested in attending can now register for free at www.100kOpportunities.org/Atlanta.
Recruiters from more than 25 leading U.S. employers including FedEx, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Five Guys, HMSHost, Taco Bell, Arby’s and more plan to conduct more than 1,800 job interviews at the Atlanta Opportunity Fair for full-time and part-time entry-level positions available across the Atlanta metro area. The event will also feature dozens of free employment and education resources, including one-on-one resume and interview coaching; tips on business attire; opportunities for civic engagement such as voter registration and national service; resources to connect with mentors in the community; the chance to build an online profile with LinkedIn’s experts; and more.
Based on previous fairs in major U.S. cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, the coalition expects to make hundreds of on-the-spot job offers, and connect every single participant to the tools and resources they need to identify mentors and recruiters, become job ready, and find meaningful employment. To date, more than 175,000 youth have found jobs, internships or higher education opportunities through the coalition’s efforts, of which more than 4,500 received on-the-spot offers at the six hiring fairs. Video of previous fairs is available on the 100,000 Opportunities YouTube page to give youth an idea of what to expect on site.
Connecting Youth to Economic Opportunity
An estimated 4.6 million young Americans are not in school or at work, including 78,000 in the Atlanta metro area or 11 percent of youth. Recent data indicates the Atlanta metro area is also home to 48 percent of Georgia’s Opportunity Youth population, which is currently estimated to be 163,400 young people. In response, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™, a coalition of top U.S. companies and foundations, is working to address this critical gap with a commitment to connect Opportunity Youth to the tools and resources they need to reach their aspirations. Since launching the Initiative in 2015, the coalition has helped connect more than 175,000 young people to jobs and opportunities, with a goal to now employ and empower 1 million youth by 2021.
The May 3 Atlanta Opportunity Fair, the coalition’s seventh job and resource fair nationally, will also kick-start a long-term effort, supported by the Schultz Family Foundation, in partnership with many of the region’s leading businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and civic leaders to employ thousands of Atlanta-area youth, accelerating the coalition’s efforts to achieve their ambitious goal.
The Atlanta Opportunity Fair is expected to be the region’s largest-ever job fair aimed at employing and energizing Opportunity Youth. The following national and local leaders and organizations are working with employers to host the Atlanta Opportunity Fair: The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, The Center for Working Families, City of Atlanta, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Metro Atlanta eXchange for Workforce Solutions, Schultz Family Foundation, United Way and more.
Support for the Atlanta Opportunity Fair
“I am pleased that Atlanta has been selected to host the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™, which connects thousands of young people to jobs with some of our nation’s leading employers. As we work to expand our economy, we must ensure that all our young people can realize their potential, especially those who face systemic barriers to access to employment and education. This initiative will strengthen our efforts to make sure that as Atlanta prospers, no one is left behind.” – Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
“We are pleased to launch the 100,000 Opportunity Initiative in the City of Atlanta. This is our seventh community partnership focused on recruiting, hiring and retaining young talent. There is nothing more powerful than helping a young person land a job. In addition to the job opportunities at the launch event, we are investing in ongoing efforts in the community to continue to help youth become job-ready and get hired. At the Schultz Family Foundation, we believe that a job creates economic mobility and endless possibilities.” – Sheri Schultz, co-founder and president of the Schultz Family Foundation
“We are thrilled to join Mayor Bottoms and leaders from across the region as we launch in Atlanta and work to expand the coalition’s national efforts to bring economic opportunity to at least one million young Americans by 2021. This unprecedented job fair is going to be an opportunity to hire and engage local youth. We welcome all Atlanta-area employers and community stakeholders, who recognize the value of hiring these amazing young Americans, to join us as we get ready to kick off this May.” – Marie Davis, executive director of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™
“Atlanta is proud to be selected as a part of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative. Building an ecosystem that generates and supports a rich talent pipeline is one of our top priorities. Our business community is eager to get involved and demonstrate how we’re producing a robust workforce through corporate engagement and community outreach.” – Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber
“We celebrate the contributions of young people to Georgia’s workforce, which is why collaborative efforts like the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative are so important. This impressive event will impact the lives of Georgia’s youth, making a lasting mark on our workforce and economy for years to come.” – Ben Hames, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development
“The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is very excited to partner with the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative. We believe in the fundamental importance of and value in investing in our youth, especially those isolated from opportunity and struggling to break the cycle of poverty. This initiative aligns with our commitment to the Westside and at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to help connect opportunity youth to job opportunities that otherwise may not be available to them.” – Frank Fernandez, Vice President of Community Development, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
“The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative is a phenomenal initiative for our business community to commit to providing a supportive network that assists youth with achieving employment in metro Atlanta. The collaboration between MAX and the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative exemplifies the framework MAX has created to strengthen connections among stakeholders to develop and invest in our local workforce.” – Wendell Dallas, Vice President of Operations for Atlanta Gas Light and Chairman of Metro Atlanta eXchange for Workforce Solutions (MAX)
“FedEx is proud to once again be working with the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative to help pave the pathway to meaningful employment for youth across the country. Atlanta is a key market for FedEx and we look forward to connecting with motivated job-seekers as we continue to build our workforce in the region.” – Shannon Brown, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer at FedEx Express
“Through the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Starbucks has found a unique way to unlock the talent and potential of these young people for retail and customer service roles in thousands of our stores across the country. The next Opportunity Fair in Atlanta is going to be a powerful moment for our nation’s top employers to come together with local leaders and demonstrate that we stand ready to hire young Americans who are looking for a chance to dream big and reach their aspirations.” – John Kelly, senior vice president, Global Public Affairs and Social Impact, Starbucks
“HMSHost is thrilled to further our involvement with the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, and particularly here in the Atlanta community to help launch the careers of the next generation. We’re eager to get out and meet Atlanta youth and offer them opportunities with HMSHost – a company where our associates have the chance to create pathways to their own success and thrive.” – Susan Seubert, Vice President, Human Resources, HMSHost
“Our involvement in the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has been great! We offered over 100 jobs at the Washington, D.C. fair last year and with around 20 locations in Atlanta and surrounding areas, we are excited to meet the Atlanta youth and invite them to join the Five Guys family.” – Jerry Murrell, founder and CEO of Five Guys
“The national youth hiring efforts of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative and the organization’s commitment to making jobs more accessible to our country’s youth is aligned with one of Yum! Brands core values – believing in all people. Yum! Brands is honored to be part of an initiative that will help elevate youth in the community to become proud, successful and professional business leaders of tomorrow.” – James Fripp, Yum! Brands Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
About the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ has created the nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to creating pathways to employment for young people. Companies engaged in the coalition 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. Each company is also committed to developing potential in youth who have some work experience but are looking to gain new skills that lead to successful careers. Please visit www.100kOpportunities.org to learn more.
