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MARCH 2, 2023

Valley Employers Seeking to Build Diverse Talent Pipeline Invited to Local ‘Employer Summit’

Event to take place April 5 at Fresh Start Women’s Foundation; Registration required

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

PHOENIX, AZ (March 24, 2023) – To support employers in their efforts to attract and retain a diverse talent pipeline, Fresh Start Women’s Foundation is hosting its first annual Employer Summit on Wednesday, April 5. With more than 9 out of 10 employers struggling to fill positions in today’s tight labor market, the goal of this event is to provide attendees with innovative solutions to developing a diverse talent pipeline.

The event convenes experts from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona, Televerde Foundation, and CARE 7 – City of Tempe to share best practices and lead conversations around innovative ways to build and retain a diverse workforce.

“With an aging workforce and hiring shortages across many industries, we have an enormous opportunity to recruit and retain more women in many fields. Increasing equity in recruitment and understanding the impact of respectful jobsites will be key to building a workforce that thrives,” said Kelly Jenkins-Pultz, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau.

Presentation and discussion topics include fair employment practices, creating a trauma-informed workplace, interviewing with diversity in mind, and more. This event is intended to equip small business owners, HR professionals, and others who are involved in their organizations’ recruiting initiatives with the tools and resources to meet their hiring needs and diversity goals.

“As part of our commitment to helping women in our community achieve self-sufficiency, we are also focused on connecting with employers who share similar goals,” said Fresh Start Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Abdu Dahr. “We are grateful for the support of the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and all of our presenters, who are bringing their expertise to this event.”

The event will be held at Fresh Start at 1130 E. McDowell Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85006 from 9:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5. Tickets are $20 per person and include a light breakfast and lunch. To register, please click here.

Employer Summit is supported in part by the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant. Fresh Start is one of five nationwide recipients and the first and only Arizona-based organization to receive this grant designed to support women’s participation in fields in which they have traditionally been underrepresented, such as finance, technology, construction, manufacturing, energy, and transportation.

About Fresh Start Women’s Foundation 

Fresh Start is celebrating 30 years of supporting women in Arizona. It’s our mission to provide access and resources that help women achieve self-sufficiency and use their strength to thrive. Our ultimate vision is to create unlimited opportunities for women. Fresh Start serves over 3,000 women annually who are 18 years and older. 86% are mothers, 60% are single mothers and 64% are women of color. These women face a variety of barriers hindering their ability to be personally or financially self-sufficient, including domestic violence, generational poverty, and unemployment. Fresh Start offers focused programs, services, access to training and education, as well as employment and career services to help women reach their personal and professional goals through our award-winning Impact Program. For more information, visit freshstartwomen.org or connect with us on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau. The product was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Federal funds account for $3,850 (74%) of the event project expenditure, with the remaining covered by non-governmental funds.