(Photos courtesy of Heart of Oregon Corps)
Heart of Oregon Corps, a leading nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and young adults through employment, job training, education, and service, welcomed more than 100 youth participants, employers, staff, and community partners to its annual Career Fair on Tuesday, July 21, at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds.
Bringing together 25 local employers representing a wide range of industries, the event gave young people the opportunity to explore career pathways, practice professional networking skills, and connect directly with businesses eager to invest in the region’s future workforce.
The Career Fair reflects Heart of Oregon’s commitment to helping young adults build confidence, discover career possibilities, and access meaningful employment opportunities. By creating connections between employers and emerging talent, the organization continues to strengthen both individual futures and Central Oregon’s workforce.
“Attending this career fair connects with youth during a crucial exploring and planning phase of their lives,” shared Rachel Shultz, community engagement specialist at Mid Oregon Credit Union. “As the only financial institution headquartered in Central Oregon we offer career pathways in financial services, and in the support departments behind the scenes, such as IT, Operations, Accounting, Marketing, Lending, Human Resources, Customer Service, and Risk Management. Beyond careers, we are also a community partner that listens to their goals and supports them in their financial wellness journey.”
Heart of Oregon extends its sincere appreciation to the businesses and community partners whose participation made this year’s event possible. Their investment in local youth helps create pathways to employment while strengthening the region’s workforce for years to come.
“Our annual Career Fair is about more than helping young people find jobs — it’s about helping them envision what’s possible,” said Kara Johnson, deputy director of Heart of Oregon Corps. “Every employer who shows up, every conversation that happens, and every connection that’s made strengthens our community and creates new opportunities for youth to build meaningful careers right here in Central Oregon.”
This year’s Career Fair also marks an exciting milestone as Heart of Oregon prepares to open Central Oregon’s first youth workforce development campus this September in Redmond. The purpose-built campus will expand access to career training, education, supportive services, and employer partnerships, creating even more opportunities for young people to gain the skills and experience needed for long-term success. Events like the Career Fair demonstrate the growing network of businesses and community partners that will help bring the campus to life and connect youth with meaningful careers.
For more information about Heart of Oregon Corps’ job training programs, the new youth workforce development campus, and upcoming events, please visit the organization’s official website at heartoforegon.org.
About Heart of Oregon Corps:
Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and young adults through employment, job training, education, and service to Central Oregon communities. With the goal of career readiness, HOC hires and trains 225 youth ages 16-24 annually in the fields of conservation, construction, childcare, and warehousing logistics. Accredited by the Corps Center for Excellence, HOC is committed to training tomorrow’s workforce today and is accepting youth applications now!
