Community Partner Accelerator & Job Fair
DORCHESTER — On May 4th, 2022, Dellbrook|JKS gathered at Florian Hall in Dorchester to hold a Trade Partner Meet & Greet followed by a Job Fair. These dual events, organized by the firm’s Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, seek to better engage more local and diverse subcontractors and trade workers.
Last Wednesday’s event began with Dellbrook|JKS welcoming around 30 subcontractors, which have yet to work with the firm, to its Trade Partner Meet & Greet. Participating representatives were eased into the morning with sign-in and event favors, brief networking with Dellbrook|JKS staff, and a full breakfast catered by a local small business, Being Fancy Catering. As trade partners enjoyed their meal, Dellbrook|JKS’s Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Sheryce Hearns, and Director of Employee & Project Development Emily Sheedy, presented on the firm’s background, team, additional events, and upcoming projects.
Afterward, each subcontractor representative was directed to a Dellbrook|JKS team member who answered questions about partnering with the firm. Those that expressed interest were able to register for Dellbrook|JKS’s Community Partner Accelerator, a two-part day session program that prepares subcontractors for the firm’s onboarding process. Each company that completes the sessions will be provided a Certificate of Completion and an IPAD equipped with the Procore app which is a cloud-based software necessary for all subcontractors to track and monitor progress on their projects.
“This opportunity allows us to meet new subcontractors and prove that Dellbrook|JKS is prepared to support them as a trade partner. This eliminates barriers to the prequalification process while still providing real opportunities to work on Dellbrook|JKS projects. It’s another step towards creating new relationships and involving newer, smaller, minority-owned, or women-owned businesses in our work,” said Sheryce Hearns.
The job fair hosted later that morning, shared a similar mission to the Trade Partner Meet & Greet. “Dellbrook|JKS and its trade partners want to employ local, diverse workers and this is another way we can facilitate that without just relying on the internet to send out our job openings” explained Sheryce Hearns. Along with Dellbrook|JKS and the City of Boston’s Jobs Bank, there were 16 other subcontractors in attendance including Custom Floors, Optiline Enterprises, Performance Drywall, Turner Brothers, First Nick Painting, Atlantis Comfort Systems, Sagamore Plumbing, and more.
