Plant City has put itself on the map with its unique opportunities available for local students.
For years they’ve been able to attend the Plant City Future Fair, which connects graduating students to local employers who are hoping to expand their staff with local bright minds. It was a partnership that Yvonne Fry, Plant City High School Raider Champions Board member and organizer of the fair, said came organically and has only continued to grow since.
“What we’re doing with the Future Fair is really meant to bridge the gap and meet the needs of students in need of jobs and businesses that are wanting to find committed employees,” Fry said. “Afterward we always survey the businesses and get their feedback and use that to continue to improve. That constructive criticism is very helpful and one of the things that they told us — and at this point we’ve got such a strong relationship with these businesses that they’re really opening up to us — is that they’re not going to find everybody they need from graduating students.”
Last year Fry said it only made sense to open up the fair later in the afternoon to the community since all of the businesses were already set up and ready to extend their hand and welcome new staff members.
Fry said it was something they’d been thinking about adding for years. She has had several students reach back out to her following graduation, after a year of not being able to find work, asking if there was any way they could get back into the next year’s fair. The real world can be harder than expected even though the students are frequently encouraged to take advantage of the countless opportunities available to them while they are in high school.
Several times current students have come up asking if a family member or older friend could come to the fair and try to land a job alongside the young applicants.
“Last year saw about 300 people come through during the time it was open to the community,” Fry said. “That was just amazing and I didn’t know what to expect. The Sheriff’s Office representative told me that was the most she’d seen at any job fair she’d been to. The businesses were happy. It was concentrated, it’s not all day, it’s broken up and really gets them to see a good number of people in a short period of time.”
The event is returning April 25 with the Future Fair in the morning for students and the doors will open to the community from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Fry encourages attendees to present their best self and bring their resumes so they’ll be prepared to talk to the 40 to 50 organizations present at the event.
This year there are several new activities in the fair including special navigators strewn throughout the event. Fry remembers last year watching a woman walk into the fair, doing a quick lap and leaving in a mere handful of minutes. She slipped out before Fry could speak to her and it immediately raised a level of concern in her.
Later that afternoon when she saw another man do the same thing she quickly stopped him at the door to find out why he hadn’t stopped to talk to anyone. His answer was simple, he didn’t know who to talk to or how to start that conversation.
She quickly ascertained his interest in an employer and personally escorted him to several companies inside she knew would fit. She said it spurred a desire to have those volunteers in place this year to ensure that never happens again.
“It just broke my heart last year to think about the one lady that left and didn’t have a single conversation,” Fry said. “The volunteers will make sure nobody leaves without having that chance to connect. Sometimes all it takes is someone building that bridge and making that interaction. I think about the people that have been out of work for a while, that first hello is the hardest thing and we want to make sure that’s not a barrier in helping our community find great jobs.”
Fry knows of several people that have started careers based off the program. The hope is this year they’ll be able to do a pseudo-signing day at local high schools to celebrate the students that walk away from the Future Fair with lasting job offers.
The program is gaining attention across the state, has won awards and is becoming the foundation of replica programs that are beginning to pop up in other counties.
“I think we’re on to something here,” Fry said. “People recognize that Plant City is doing something special. We’re serving both our local businesses and our community… It’s a big deal and I’m grateful for all of the people that have worked so hard to help this program get the recognition it’s starting to receive.”
IF YOU GO
Plant City Job Fair
Where: Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Rd.
When: April 25 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Bring some resumes and be prepared to chat with local employers.