Academy and Grammy Award Winning Performing
Artist and Actor Common Hosts Inspirational “Opportunity Forum”
with Usher and will.i.am, Encouraging Participating Youth to
#StartSomewhere
Building on Success from Chicago, Coalition
Looks Ahead to Upcoming “Opportunity Fairs & Forums” to
Continue the National Effort
Marking an unprecedented day of action for Chicago youth, the
100,000 Opportunities Initiative – the nation’s largest
employer-led effort to hire at least 100,000 young Americans ages
16-24 who are out of school and work – kicked off its first-ever
“Opportunity Fair & Forum” yesterday, helping create pathways
for the 4,000 youth in attendance. Working with Chicago Mayor Rahm
Emanuel, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, the Chicago Cook
Workforce Partnership, more than 40 community-based organizations,
and nearly a dozen philanthropic foundations, more than 30
companies delivered immediate impact by interviewing and extending
600 on-the-spot job offers. The combined effort expects to hire
thousands more youth in the months ahead – fueling a national
effort that will impact at least 100,000 Opportunity Youth over the
next three years.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150814005629/en/
Youth filling out job applications at
Opportunity Fair and Forum in Chicago. (Photo: Business Wire)
“We’re at the helm of a truly historic cross-sector effort to
create real, tangible economic opportunities for the young men and
women of our nation – beginning right here in Chicago,” said
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, joining coalition leaders at the launch
event at Chicago’s McCormick Place on Thursday. “I am incredibly
proud of the work our great city has done to kick start this much
needed nationwide hiring initiative and know that our collective
efforts will echo for years to come. Each of the 4,000 who joined
us are proof that with the right tools and resources, this next
generation of Chicagoans can make a measurable impact in our
community and strengthen our City’s economy.”
Hiring managers from more than 30 companies spent yesterday
meeting with candidates, including Abbott, Chipotle Mexican Grill,
CVS Health, Cintas, Domino’s, FedEx, Hilton Worldwide, HMSHost,
Hyatt, JCPenney, LBP Manufacturing, Lyft, Manpower, Macy’s, Mars,
Microsoft, Nordstrom, Pizza Hut, Porch.com, Potbelly Sandwich Shop,
Prudential, Red Robin, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Sweetgreen,
Taco Bell, Target, Teavana, T-Mobile, Uniqlo, Walgreens, and
Walmart. Youth had an opportunity to practice their interview
skills, receive on-the-spot mentoring and feedback on their
resumes, complete job applications and meet with hiring managers.
Between interview sessions, youth also had the opportunity to hear
from a lineup of inspirational speakers at two day stages and
attend professional development workshops.
“Employed teens face a better fate in life. They are more likely
to enroll and graduate from college and their earning potential
greatly exceeds those who did not work as teens,” said Toni
Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board. “We are very
grateful to the business community and appreciate this important
step by corporate America. This is a great beginning and we are
proud to be a part of it.”
Several leaders from the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative
participated in the event, including JCPenney CEO Marvin Ellison,
HMSHost CEO Steve Johnson, Nordstrom President Jamie Nordstrom,
Porch.com CEO Matt Ehrlichman, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Taco
Bell CEO Brian Niccol, Rockefeller Foundation CEO Judith Rodin,
MacArthur Foundation president Julia Stasch, Kellogg Foundation CEO
La June Montgomery Tabron, Schultz Family Foundation Executive
Director Daniel Pitasky, and Aspen Institute Chair Melody Barnes.
Key media partners for the Opportunity Fair & Forum included
CBS, Essence, and USA TODAY.
“My very first job was in retail and it played such a pivotal
role in shaping my future,” said Marvin Ellison, CEO of
JCPenney. “We hope to provide an opportunity for these young
people to do something great with their lives and will remain
dedicated to this important effort, to these youth, so long as the
need exists.”
“This serves as a powerful reminder that a great first job can
open up a world of opportunities for a young person,” said
Howard Schultz, chairman and ceo of Starbucks and co-founder of
the Schultz Family Foundation. “With nearly six million young
Americans completely disconnected from the economy, we desperately
need the leadership, creativity and courage of the private sector,
working with civic, elected and community leaders, to create
meaningful lifelong opportunities for all. I truly believe that
these young men and women are not the biggest challenge facing our
economy – they are our greatest opportunity.”
“I can’t tell you enough how proud we are to be a part of this
coalition. We’ve hired nearly 40 youth through this first event and
are committed to hiring 5,000 more in the months ahead,” said
Steve Johnson, president and CEO of HMSHost.
“Youth are very important to our business with 55 percent of our
employees between the ages of 16 and 24,” said Brian Niccol, CEO
of Taco Bell. “This effort and events such as these are
critically important and are where we find our most passionate
customers who become our most passionate employees. And more over,
it is our responsibility to build the communities we are operating
in.”
“We are really proud to have the opportunity to represent three
important growth areas at this event, spanning start-ups,
technology and trades,” said Matt Ehrlichman of Porch.com.
“We work with professionals across the country and are excited to
help young people enter the technology sector, as well as the
important trades.”
Common Hosts Inspirational Forum for Youth Featuring Usher
and will.i.am
While the first half of the day was focused on the job fair, the
afternoon highlighted themes of inspiration. The Inspirational
Forum was hosted by Academy and Grammy Award winning performing
artist and actor Common, who welcomed several special guests to the
stage to share their own stories of seeking opportunity, including
Usher, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Cedric King, will.i.am., and T.I.,
with performances by the Chicago Bulls Bucket Boys, Lil Durk and
Silentó.
Coalition Looks Ahead to Planning Upcoming Opportunity Fairs
& Forums
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative is working with
community-based organizations and civic leaders across America to
help deliver the local skills training and hiring opportunities
young people need, ensuring that this truly cross-sector effort is
sustained in the long-term. Following the close of the Opportunity
Fair & Forum in Chicago yesterday, the initiative is exploring
additional cities to accelerate its nationwide hiring efforts by
launching similar employer-led efforts.
For a complete list of participating companies, community
service organizations, funders and participants, please visit
www.100kOpportunities.org.
About the 100,000 Opportunities
Initiative
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has the goal of creating
the nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition
committed to creating pathways to employment for young
people. Companies engaged in the coalition will help to launch
careers for young people that are just entering the workforce,
including internships, apprenticeships and on the job training, in
addition to developing potential in youth that have some work
experience but are looking to gain new skills that lead to a
successful career. The participating companies are committed to
diversity and equal employment opportunity, and the Opportunity
Initiative does not prevent opportunities for older workers. Its
purpose is to open up new opportunities that currently do not exist
for some youth. For more information, please visit
www.100kOpportunities.org.
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