FORGE career expo at EMCC looks to fill industry voids

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A group of locally owned businesses was forging the path for adults to learn new skills to pay the bills.

Family Organizations Recruiting Great Employees, or FORGE, hosted a career expo at EMCC.

People around the Golden Triangle explored equipment operation, bricklaying, and construction work using virtual reality.

Organizers of the program said it’s a way to help fill a void in several industry careers.

“This is their opportunity to get in there, lay bricks, tie rebar, finish concrete, act like they are driving a big machine or big truck, and it just gets them excited about opportunities. There are multiple career pathways out there. We just want them to understand what’s out there to offer them because we need more people in these skill trades,” said Melinda Lowe, Executive Director of FORGE.

October 25 is the eighth grader’s turn to try their hand at the activities. The career expo by FORGE continued at 7:30 a.m. at EMCC.

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