Area’s Largest Job Expo for Adults With Disabilities Comes to Farmingdale
June 23, 2017 | News
Over 300 hundred attendees filled Roosevelt Hall at Farmingdale State College for the Annual Community Partnership Forum and Talent Connection Job Expo for adults with disabilities hosted by Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), in partnership with ACLD, Life’s WORC and the YAI Network. The “Talent Connection” Job Expo is the largest of its kind in the area, offering adults with disabilities an opportunity to discuss their skills and abilities with recruiters from key businesses on Long Island. The event was a great opportunity for individuals to become familiar with potential employers as well as learn valuable information at the employment workshops that were offered.
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“We are thrilled with the turnout at this year’s Job Expo,” said Robert S. Budd, CEO FREE. “The individuals we serve are eager to get out into the workforce and show that they can be positive, contributing members of society, and I believe that it comes through whenever they meet with these recruiters,” he continued.
The day commenced with an open forum of community leaders, welcomed by Dr. John Nader, President of Farmingdale State College, followed by workshops which included: “Handling the Hot Seat”, “Workplace Social Etiquette/Tips for Embracing Success in the Workplace”, “Employment and Your Benefits”, “Employment Issues Roundtable” and a Job Expo with hundreds of potential job candidates.
The keynote speaker at the Forum was John Kemp, President and CEO, The Viscardi Center. The Forum also included a panel with companies, job coaches and individuals with disabilities who are employed, and Top Star Employer Awards. The Top Star Employers were honored by New York State Senator John E. Brooks and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino for their efforts in recruiting and hiring individuals with disabilities.
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“Thank you to FREE for bringing together jobseekers from a very special labor community, including individuals with different abilities. Events like these help individuals realize their full potential, while introducing unlimited talent to local employers and benefiting our local economy,” said New York State Senator John E. Brooks.
Employers from across Long Island sought candidates for positions including entry and middle management level and clerical staffing. On hand to meet with the hundreds of job seekers that attended were eVero, American Maintenance, Astoria Bank, Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Prudential, D3 LLC, Genser Dubow Genser and Cona, Hempstead Works, Ocean Janitorial, Suffolk County Department of Labor, Pets4LuvFoundation, The Corporate Source, Public Access TV Corporation, Sky Zone, Hope Fitness, The Employment Connection, FREE, Life’s WORC /Family Center for Autism, ACLD, Skills Unlimited, and AHRC Suffolk plus more.
“I truly commend everyone at Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. for orchestrating the ‘Talent Connection’ Job Expo, which provides a platform allowing businesses to reach out to a very special labor population,” Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “This event also provided an opportunity to commend businesses which have become valuable partners and supported the program by hiring someone with disabilities.”