This is the networking event for you

Employers are increasingly looking for a diverse, skilled workforce that reflects the unique characteristics and abilities of Washington.

We want to make it easier to do that. That’s why we’re holding a special event to give you an edge in this tight labor market, an inside track to find new employees coming to the industry fresh and ready to grow.

That’s the goal of our Hiring for Diversity: Craft-Worker Hiring Event, scheduled 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the Seattle Vocational Institute. It’s a one-day networking blitz to help you put your firm in front of skilled people looking for work while learning more about the local talent pipeline. Contractors who attend will meet current students and graduates from SVI’s PACT program and clients of the metropolitan Urban League, all of whom are ready and eager to jump into construction.

If you’re not familiar, the PACT program is an initiative supported by Seattle Colleges and is known for long as the Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training. According to Seattle Colleges, this program helps adults get the skills they need to be strong applicants for entry-level construction jobs. Students receive hands-on training in areas like basic carpentry, shop math and practical jobsite organization, all of which is boosted by spending time on real sites interacting with apprentices and active construction workers.

What’s more, program graduates come out of the experience certified in forklift operation, road flagging, OSHA 10 safety and first aid/CPR. In short, the PACT program is a crash-course for people looking to feel at home in their early construction career, and that’s why we’re putting the invitation to our members to make the most of this networking event.

Contractors will have a chance to set up a table advertising their firm and its staffing needs, as well as a chance to speak one-on-one with potential applicants. This is a great chance to get out in front of the next generation of construction workers, so register today and come see us later this month!