COVINGTON, Ga. - The upcoming regional job fair, scheduled for Oct. 5, would not be possible without the partnership of neighboring counties and community partners.

“Regionalism is critical for the prosperity of Newton County & our businesses.  We appreciate our partners in neighboring counties that provide support who are willing to come together for building a stellar workforce,” Serra P. Hall, Covington/Newton County Office of Economic Development senior project manager, said.  “The I-20 corridor is a special area with strong skill sets and incredible jobs.  The partnership here is unlike any other place in Georgia.”

The local ED has partnered with ED offices in Greene, Jasper, Morgan, Rockdale and Walton Counties, as well as community partners like Chick-fil-a Newton Plaza, Newton County School System, U.S. Congressman Jody Hice (R-10) and The Covington News.

NCSS Director of CTAE and Workforce Innovation Tim Schmitt said the school system’s partnership in the job fair is a no-brainer.

“The job fair provides an opportunity for our students to interact with local companies and practice the soft-skills we have been working to instill in them through our CTAE courses,” he said. “Additionally, it serves as outreach for the school system to connect with the business community to show off how great our students are. There is nothing like hearing from a company about how polished our students are...some even say that they can’t  tell the difference between our seniors and the regular mid-twenty year old adult applicants.”

The regional aspect of the job fair allows for a wider pool of prospective employees and employers.

“We want our Greene County businesses and job seekers afforded the opportunity to match their workforce needs and job needs with the best fit possible,” Samuel M. Young, Greene County economic development director, said. “That means employers and job seekers oftentimes reaching out regionally.  This regional job fair provides an excellent opportunity for employers and prospective employees to find that quality match that fits the needs of both.”

“The regional job fair is good for Walton County and good for our region,” Shane Short, executive director of the Development Authority of Walton County, said.  “Many of our citizens work outside our respective counties and many of our workers commute into our counties.  Partnering with surrounding communities and supporting each other is extremely important to the success of our area.  Regionalism allows for all of us to be successful and to provide jobs for our citizens.”

Last year’s job fair brought more than 60 businesses and thousands of prospective employees to the area and this year’s promises to be even bigger.

“The Covington News has a first-hand look at the opportunities for perspective employees in Newton County and coming on as a partner in this year’s job fair provides an exciting opportunity to shine a light on the region,” Jackie Gutknecht, editor and publisher of The News, said.