The World Harvest Outreach Seventh-day Adventist Church partnered with Workforce Solutions in 2023 to host a community job fair, bringing together employers from across the Greater Houston area and providing local residents with direct access to hiring opportunities.
“We are just grateful for the opportunity to open up our doors and allow the community and all these great employers to come and to be a part of this great event,” said Pastor Neylon Samuel, Senior Pastor at World Harvest Outreach Seventh-day Adventist Church. “We are always looking for partners. We believe in collaborating and partnering. There are some things that as a church we can’t do by ourselves, and I was connected with Workforce Solutions by one of our members, Mark McNeil… the rest is here today.”
Representatives from a variety of industries attended, offering full-time and part-time positions. The YMCA of Greater Houston, H.A.I.S. for Mental Health and IDB, RCS Personnel, Houston Community College’s Adult High School, the Houston Fire Department, and Family Tree Private Care were among the many organizations meeting candidates face-to-face.
“We’re really impressed with the turnout… and with the diversity of applicants because we have all kinds of different positions to fill,” said a representative from the YMCA of Greater Houston.
A representative from RCS Personnel shared similar enthusiasm. “Today’s been great. You got a very good crowd here… it’s a good turnout.”
From higher education, Houston Community College’s Adult High School saw the event as a way to network and build new connections. “We were just excited about being able to be a part of the community simply to be able to network and share not only what HCC offers but creating new partnerships as well,” said a representative from HCC.
A Positive Experience for Job Seekers
Attendees praised the event for its welcoming environment, organized process, and networking opportunities. One participant noted, “I felt like I made some pretty good connections with people… I got some phone numbers and leads so I’ll just follow up on those, see what comes of it.” Another said, “I found four or five employers that I’m going to get the job [with], and so I’m happy to be here because Workforce Solutions is helping people to get a job and I think it’s a good opportunity.”
The Houston Fire Department also saw value in connecting with the community: “We’re looking for 350 firefighters right now and so this has definitely been a great experience for us.”
Pastor Samuel emphasized that the partnership was about more than filling jobs—it was about strengthening the community. “Here we have an opportunity rather than giving a handout… to give a hand up,” he said. “In our community, the more people we can put to work, the better it is for the community. We complain about the crime and the violence… but I think putting people to work is a direct answer to many of those ills in our community.”
The event demonstrated the impact of collaboration between faith-based organizations, local employers, and workforce partners, helping job seekers make connections, find opportunities, and take the next step toward employment.
