The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism (DOEDT) will host “Untapped Talent | Inclusive Hiring Event to Fill All Your Open Positions” on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Avenue, Danville.
This event will seek to educate business owners, managers, and human resource professionals on strategies to fill their organization’s open positions by tapping into underutilized, overlooked, and underserved workforce groups, including veterans, seniors, previously incarcerated, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
“Our office is passionate about cultivating an inclusive environment for our community members to thrive and our local businesses to succeed,” said Samantha Bagbey, DOEDT Project Manager. “This interactive workshop will explore workforce solutions in depth, equipping business owners and human resource professionals with the tools and confidence to successfully fill open positions within their organizations. By breaking these barriers, we aim to create an equal playing field where each individual has a chance to work, live, and play in the City of Danville.”
The event’s keynote speaker, Lindsay Wrege, is founder of 321 Coffee, a non-profit that currently employs over 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wrege will explore tactical strategies on recruitment, the importance of inclusive hiring, and the value in building inclusive job descriptions. Event attendees will also hear from current 321 Coffee baristas.
“321 Coffee has over 500+ people on a waitlist who want to work, yet other companies in the food and beverage industry are still struggling with labor. There are so many driven and hard-working people, but they need the opportunity to contribute. When you can create inclusive opportunities and invest in your people, you also build an incredible company culture and are rewarded with loyalty. It becomes a win-win. So, let’s talk about the how,” shares Wrege.
A dynamic panel of experts will also present on resources and experiences available to businesses that are interested in employing traditionally marginalized community members. Attendees are encouraged to bring current job descriptions from their organization that have high turnover or are hard to fill to the event for a hands-on session.
This event will be held from 8:00am-1:00pm, and breakfast will be served.
This half-day event is free to attend, but registration is required. To register and to learn more, visit: https://www.discoverdanville.com/discover-danville-va-for-your-business-resources/
About the Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism recruits and retains businesses for the Danville area. The office provides information on available sites and buildings, incentives and other financial resources and offers a website designed for the business community: www.discoverdanville.com.