About 20 businesses and organizations in Charlotte representing career fields in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) will share job information and opportunities to young adults tomorrow during an annual event.
Charlotte Works, NCWorks NextGen employment program and Central Piedmont Community College will host the "i am STEAM CLT Career Expo" at the school's Harper Campus from 1-4 p.m. tomorrow. The fifth annual event is funded by nonprofit Charlotte Works, a local workforce development board. About 200 to 300 people, primarily ages 16 to 24, are expected to attend the event.
Charlotte Works created the event to offer a more interactive learning opportunity for youths who may be aspiring to work in STEAM fields but are unfamiliar with the space. Participating businesses and organizations such as Atrium Health, Truist Financial Corp. (NYSE: TFC), Atom Power and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will provide live demonstrations as part of their setups. Companies will also discuss paid internship opportunities with attendees.
"Two or three years before Covid, we really wanted to provide a communitywide event to really provide an exposure opportunity for the youth and young adults," said Anna London, interim president and CEO at Charlotte Works. "A lot of times we hear that and we know that youth and young adults don't really know what to be interested in unless they're exposed to it. And so we believe that exposure leads to expansion."
The event was formerly just focused on STEM careers, but Charlotte Works decided to include arts since it is vital to various science, technology, engineering and math roles.
Over the years, London said youth that participated in previous events were able to meet businesses they would have never discovered otherwise.
"A lot of times, youth and young adults, they're not really aware of how what they're learning in school translates to their future and their career," she said. "So we've heard from youth and young adults that because of this event, and who they were able to talk to, they are able to have access to someone that they can actually learn about a job or an industry that they otherwise had no idea about."
Attendees will also be able to experience a day in the life of STEAM employers, such as manufacturers or emergency service providers, through virtual-reality headsets.
As the workforce development board of Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Works is dedicated to connecting job seekers and employers. The organization offers youth and adults skills training and work opportunities. It also shares data to educate the local community on workforce needs.
