Community Corner

United Way's YouthBuild LI Program Holds Successful Annual Career Fair

Students who never completed high school receive introduction to the workforce during fair last week.

Every year 25-30 of Long Island's youth graduate from the Deer Park-based United Way of Long Island's Youthbuild program and enter into employment and additional educational opportunities.

This year, in an effort to prepare for and to facilitate the transition, students and staff came together for an annual career fair last Wednesday.

The event was held at the Bellport Boys and Girls Club and Joe Perillo, the Career Specialist for Youthbuild Long Island was pleased with the turnout. "We doubled the companies that attended the fair last year and our students were well prepared and looked great," said Perillo.

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Companies that attended included MSC Industrial Supply, National Grid, Brookhaven National National LabsHotel Indigo East End. Quinn & Feiner Service Company, representatives of the Suffolk County Executive's Office, General Building Laborer's Local 66, representatives of Congressman Tim Bishop's office and Apollo Group-Greenway Solutions and Priority Cool.

Based on a national model, the United Way of Long Island's Youthbuild is an intensive, 10 month program in which young adults, who never completed high school, study to obtain their GED, learn to build affordable, energy efficient housing and develop the leadership and life skills necessary for living a successful and productive life. The program also incorporates service learning opportunities, many of which focus on rebuilding the physical aspects of the community. YouthBuild students have been handling muck outs and clean ups in the Long Island towns most affected by Hurricane Sandy since the storm in October.

Find out what's happening in Deer Park-North Babylonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The United Way of Long Island wants to congratulate our students and thank the employers and facilitators involved in the fair," said Theresa Regnante, President and CEO of the United Way of Long Island. "The experience meeting and interviewing with employers is invaluable and appreciated by all," added Regnante.

Interested students or parents can call Liz Morgan at 631-940-8841 ext.13 if they are interested in enrolling in the program.


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