AG-JOBS-4-ALL JOB FAIR

Why Inclusive Hiring?

 

“Reaching people who are not working is vital in addressing the labor shortage. These include people with disadvantaged backgrounds, veterans, people with mental or physical health challenges, people with a criminal or substance abuse history, and recent retirees and caregivers. Recruiting tactics that simply shuffle employees from one company to another or employ people on unemployment do not solve the problem employers face.” EMSI – Demographic Drought 

 

1. One in four people have a disability. 

2. One in three people have some sort of criminal conviction on their record.  

3. Veterans who recently left the military have higher unemployment than their nonveteran peers. 

4. West Michigan is home to a population of over 25,000 refugees.

5. More than half of the people who left the workforce since 2020 are over 55 years old. 

 

The Agribusiness Talent Council has partnered with community and state organizations that serve these opportunity populations. We hold quarterly job fairs featuring agribusiness employers from across the West Michigan area who are seeking candidates from opportunity populations. The job fairs are open to all job seekers. 

 

Resources to Support Hiring Opportunity Populations 

• Agribusiness Talent Council webinar on this topic 

• Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) 

• Fidelity Bonding  

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) On The Job Training 

• Going PRO Talent Fund Targeted Incentives 

• Wheels to Work 

• Tri – Share Childcare Program 

 

Community Partner Links: 

• Veterans' Employment Services 

• Michigan Rehabilitation Services 

• 70x7 Life Recovery 

• Bethany Christian Services 

• LEO Agricultural and Foreign Labor Services