DC Builds DC Hosts Hiring Event for Job-Ready Construction Candidates
Photo from the Hiring Event
The hiring event connected local job seekers with promising roles in DC’s thriving construction sector.
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, May 14, 82% of the 113 candidates were offered jobs or advanced in the interviewing process with at least one of 17 local construction companies at a Hire Local DC hiring event for the DC Builds DC Construction Sector Partnership. Hire Local DC, an employer-led coalition focused on improving Washington DC's local talent pipeline, worked with 25 education and training providers to prepare candidates for the event. This is the latest in a series of Hire Local DC Interview Events, which has resulted in 540 construction and hospitality job offers to DC residents across eight hiring events to date. The DC Public Library, a Hire Local DC community partner, hosted the event at their MLK Branch downtown.
Hire Local DC, which is jointly convened by CityWorks DC and The Federal City Council, is committed to two interconnected goals: ensuring that the city's youth and young adults are equipped for, hired into, and thriving in quality jobs across the District and region, and strengthening local industries' confidence in hiring homegrown talent to meet workforce demands. Hiring events such as this one are just one piece of a larger strategy that also includes sector-specific training, employer partnerships, and continued support for new hires.
Serwa Groves, HR Manager for Atlas Foundations of Washington, shared “This is the most organized job fair I’ve ever been a part of. You have a system- you’ve thought of everything. The candidates are vetted and prepared.”
Darnell Hudson, a candidate from United Planning Organization (UPO), interviewed with two companies, and has advanced in the hiring process with both of them. “This is an event where interviewers seemed to really care. They were encouraging and there was a real back and forth. This is exactly what I want to do.”
Patrice Rogers, a Job Developer at UPO, who supports candidates during their workforce training and helps them find jobs reflected, “My clients know these Interview Events are a good use of their time. They get actual time interviewing one on one with real employers, with real job openings, who are interested in hiring DC residents. So many of them leave with offers or invitations to a next round interview. And they all get such good feedback on what they did well and what they could have done to improve. We use all of that and the resources to make sure our clients are aware of what these employers want.”
"What makes this work is the trust that has been built between industry and the people who prepare candidates for it,” said Erin Bibo, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at CityWorks DC, which co-convenes the Hire Local DC Sector Partnerships. "When employers tell training providers what they need, and when providers deliver candidates who are genuinely ready to contribute, everyone wins — and most importantly, DC residents win. That alignment is what we're here to sustain."
The coalition looks forward to future partnerships with construction employers across the sector to continue building on previous years' success. Last week, Hire Local DC released its first Impact Report, which takes stock of the coalition's first four years of work with DC's construction and hospitality sectors, identifies key learnings and best practices, and charts a path forward for what it takes to build this type of system change. Read the Impact Report here.
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About CityWorks DC
CityWorks DC's mission is to dramatically improve the early career outcomes of DC youth and young adults of color by creating innovative programs and by mobilizing employers, educators, and city leaders to create a local, diverse talent pipeline. CityWorks DC seeks to ensure that young people acquire industry-valued credentials; paid, relevant work experience; and social capital, so that they can secure meaningful work that enables them to thrive. To do this, CityWorks DC launches innovative programs that work directly with young people to help them build family-sustaining careers, create personal wealth, and drive economic growth, and leads citywide initiatives designed to ensure lasting change. To learn more about the organization’s programs and partnerships, visit cityworksdc.org.
About Hire Local DC
Hire Local DC is a collaboration between CityWorks DC and the Federal City Council, convening employers and strategic partners together to ensure that DC residents obtain DC’s “good” jobs. Hire Local DC believes that when companies hire local talent, their businesses thrive, our residents thrive, and our local economy thrives. To learn more, visit https://www.hirelocaldc.org/.
