JEFFERSON CITY – The Office of Community Engagement is joining a group of public and private organizations to sponsor the North County Opportunities Expo: Trades, Training and Apprenticeships. The expo will take place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at the Training Center on the Florissant Valley campus of St. Louis Community College (3400 Pershall Road, Ferguson, MO). Registration will be held in the lobby, and a brief orientation session will be held every 30 minutes.
“The North County Opportunity Expo is the perfect way for willing and capable workers in the surrounding communities to learn more about workforce opportunities and make connections in the construction industry,” said Office of Community Engagement director, Maida Coleman. “Our office is committed to supporting training and educational programs critical to building a stronger region.”
The expo will include a variety of workshops and resources aimed at teaching what is required to complete an apprenticeship, how union jobs are filled and what job duties are like. Attendees will explore training opportunities in union trades, advanced manufacturing and highly technical skilled utilities. Various resources will be available to help attendees identify and overcome career roadblocks.
“As we plan for the years ahead and the potential growth of the St. Louis region and our entire state, it is important that contractors reach out into every available resource in our community to find the construction team members they need,” Associated General Contractors of Missouri president Leonard Toenjes said. “Our entire construction contracting community cannot build without the talented, hardworking people from every area of every region.”
Additional sponsors include St. Louis County Workforce Development, St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, Associated General Contractors of Missouri, Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Program, Construction Careers Center, Eastern Missouri Laborers’ District Council, SLATE, St. Louis Community College, Boeing, Ameren and 24:1. Community representatives will be on hand from Better Family Life, Father’s Support of St. Louis and North County Forever.
For more information, call the event information line at 314-539-5791.
Created by Gov. Nixon in 2014, the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) is responsible for facilitating and encouraging meaningful communication between all Missouri citizens and state and local governments. OCE is also responsible for assisting the development of policy solutions and strategies that foster greater prosperity and opportunity for low-income individuals and minority communities.