Employers And Trade Students Look To Connect At Philadelphia Hiring Expo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Aspiring carpenters and plumbers are getting the chance to put their eager hands to work. A number of Philadelphia groups have teamed up to help trade students find jobs.
A citywide workforce strategy released last year hopes to create more job opportunities for trade workers and, on Friday, many students may have found the perfect job opportunity, at a pilot hiring expo.
The students at Orleans Technical College are learning the skills that it takes to build a house. Latricia Easter is hard at work doing something she loves.
She recently sought out a career change from health care and day care.
"I can build things at home," she said. "She's like, 'Well, why don't you just make that your career?' and I'm like, 'Wow, why didn't I think of that?'"
Easter will soon be looking for a place to apply her carpentry skills, just like other trade students. Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, city officials and college staff partnered to host the hiring expo, which is designed to match students with contractors and employers in need of trade workers.
Kadijah Randolph is an aspiring plumber.
"I think I'm an expert plumber," Randolph said.
"I started off myself at Randolph Skill Center in 1980, and if I didn't go there and get the opportunity to learn a skill, I wouldn't have Mr. D's Plumbing right now," Michael Ditti said.
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Employers and students anxiously looked to connect as part of a pilot program with the city to increase interest in the building trades.
"This school ignites something inside of me, so I really, really love it," Easter said.
There were nearly 30 contractors represented at Friday's expo. Many of the students will be graduating from Orleans College in May and they're hoping that the career fair leads to a new job.