Hiring Events are BTF’s best practice for connecting job seekers to employers
Ernest Reagan needed someone who would believe in him.
After getting out of the Navy, he was working in lawncare and was beginning a new career driving trucks for a logistics company. But an unfortunate turn of events led to his short-term incarceration.
After serving his time, Ernest was eager to get back to work. He saw it as a fresh start and a chance to prove himself. But finding work proved difficult, as no one was willing look past his history.
This would change, however, when he participated in a Second Chance Hiring Event, where he met Engagement Manager Jonathan Karg. Just two weeks later, Jonathan was able to place Ernest into a position as a delivery driver with a local employer partner in Knoxville.
Ernest said he doesn’t know if he would have ever found work without the help of Jonathan and Building Talent Foundation. “I was still trying to recover and reassociate back into the workforce, which was very difficult for me to do,” he said. “Building Talent Foundation provided an open field to find employment and was extremely helpful in providing me with opportunities that were simply not showing themselves to me.”
Untapped Source
Citizens returning to the workforce after incarceration are a major untapped source of labor for employers. Many of these individuals are nonviolent offenders who just want an opportunity to show that they are not defined by their past.
Recognizing this, Building Talent Foundation partners with several organizations to find ways to help returning citizens find meaningful employment in the residential construction industry. In Knoxville, the American Job Center invited BTF to attend their Re-Entry Hiring Event.
From that event alone, Jonathan was able to place 11 candidates – including Ernest – with employer partners in the area. All but one of those candidates are still working with the initial placing employer.
BTF is also partnering with the Florida Masonry Apprentice & Education Foundation on similar initiatives.
According to Branka Minic, CEO of Building Talent Foundation, these partnerships are just the beginning. “We will continue to work hard to find opportunities for returning citizens to find gainful work in construction,” she said. “When we can do that, everyone wins – the individuals, the employers, the industry, and society.”
Paying it Forward
While placing returning citizens with employers clearly helps the residential construction industry address the labor shortage, the benefits don’t stop there. Giving people a second chance often has a ripple effect that goes far beyond the individual.
Ernest plans to use his experience and his story to help change the lives of individuals looking for second chance opportunities and hopes to find an opportunity to volunteer to mentor these individuals.
But more than anything, Ernest said he is grateful to Jonathan and BTF for believing in him when few others would. “Thank you, Jonathan, for providing me with a chance to succeed and contribute,” he said.