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Mayor Bowser and 100,000 Opportunities Initiative Announce Plans to Bring Opportunity Fair to Washington, DC

Wednesday, May 24, 2017
100,000 Opportunities Initiative Has Connected More Than 100,000 Youth to Jobs in Cities Across the US

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Bowser and the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative announced plans to hold an Opportunity Fair and Forum in Washington, DC in the Fall of 2017. The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative is the nation’s largest employer-led coalition committed to creating pathways to employment for opportunity youth – 16-24 year-olds, who are neither in school nor employed.

“We know that one of the most effective ways to spread inclusive prosperity is by connecting residents to good paying jobs,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through this partnership with the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, we will be able to equip more young Washingtonians with the skills they need to succeed in DC’s job market, help them find jobs in the community, and get them on pathways to the middle class.”

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, which has already connected over 100,000 young people to jobs in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, and Dallas, will work closely with the Bowser Administration and other civic leaders across the region as it begins identifying a network of community-based organizations to connect opportunity youth to jobs and pathways to success. The Opportunity Fair is expected to connect thousands of DC-area youth to employment opportunities with companies like Starbucks, Five Guys, HMS Host, FedEx, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta, and more. The initiative will focus on recruiting and hiring youth from the most underserved communities in Washington, DC.

At the 100K Opportunity Fair and Forum in Washington, DC, youth will receive:

  • on-site interviews with employers;
  • job application assistance;
  • styling tips for the workplace;
  • headshots and assistance creating a LinkedIn profile;
  • personalized resume development support;
  • interview tips and mock interviews;
  • options for completing high school and college exploration;
  • legal resources for justice involved youth and immigration services; and
  • support in mentor identification and job training programs.

Since coming into office, Mayor Bowser has made getting more Washingtonians on pathways to the middle class a top priority, and since 2015, the District’s unemployment rate has dropped 1.6 percentage points and total jobs have risen by 34,100. Programs like LEAP, Career Connections, the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP), ASPIRE, and PROJECT 500, have helped residents throughout DC make professional connections, overcome employment barriers, start businesses, and find jobs.

In 2015, Mayor Bowser expanded MBSYEP so that DC residents ages 22-24 can participate in the program and gain meaningful work experience. MBSYEP is a locally-funded initiative that provides DC youth ages 14 to 24 with six weeks of enriching and constructive summer work experience through subsidized placements in the private and public sectors. The program partners with hundreds of DC employers who are uniquely positioned to provide relevant training and guidance to DC’s youth in order to help them develop the positive work habits and job skills necessary to secure future employment.

For more information about the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, visit 100kOpportunities.org.