Puna Youth Career Fair will bring together teens, families and employers for a free community event hosted by Puna Rising’s new Youth Hub, aiming to help young people find career pathways close to home.
The fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 15 at the Arts and Science Center Pavilion at Hawaiʻi Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School, 15-1397 Post Office Road in Pāhoa. Organizers say the goal is to help Puna’s youth stay, work and thrive in their own community.
Program director Sylvia Dolena called closing the opportunity gap essential to Puna’s future. Those planning to attend, as well as businesses interested in hosting a table, can register online. Employers, business owners and educators who want a table are asked to complete the form by Aug. 6.
“Please help us develop the next generation of the local workforce,” Dolena said, adding that each young person who finds their path locally supports families, businesses and a more self-sufficient Puna.
Organizers note Puna faces persistent economic and educational challenges. Hawaiʻi ranks 40th nationally in education, with just 32% of public school students meeting math standards and 35% meeting science standards. In Puna, where nearly half of households rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the effects are pronounced.
The 2018 Kīlauea eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic intensified those hardships, eliminating small businesses and jobs. Economists estimate the region lost $94 million in economic benefit and $27.9 million in farm losses, with total recovery costs exceeding $800 million.
Meanwhile, more Native Hawaiians now live outside the state, driven in part by a cost of living that includes rent averaging 42% of income, the highest share in the nation.
The Puna Youth Career Fair marks a milestone for the Youth Hub, which was launched to expand access to business and job-skills education for local teens. “The youth on this island, especially in East Hawaiʻi, have very little access to education and opportunity around business, job and professional skills,” Dolena said.
“It’s key in breaking the cycle of poverty.”
Youth who register with the program begin with a Career Interest Self-Assessment to identify strengths and interests. Training then focuses on employer-valued skills such as self-confidence, teamwork, communication, initiative, feedback, leadership and time management.
Instruction is delivered through mentorship, hands-on activities and video-based lessons. Dolena said the Youth Hub is working to build opportunity at home so young people do not have to leave the islands to succeed.
Her aim is to help replace a mindset of limitation with one of possibility and opportunity. Similar youth-focused learning opportunities are emerging across Hawaiʻi, including Science Night at Keaʻau Armory, which brings free family STEM activities to East Hawaiʻi.
Puna Youth Career Fair registration
Registration is open for youth, parents and friends who wish to attend, and for businesses, employers and educators who want to host a table. Table reservations should be submitted by Aug. 6.
Additional event details and a video overview are available from the Youth Hub. More information on the host site, Hawaiʻi Academy of Arts & Science Public Charter School, and the organizer Puna Rising can be found on their official websites.
