Opportunity NOW Helps Shape Tomorrow's Workforce

With public education as our organization's No. 1 priority, it is only fitting that the Nashville Area Chamber partner with Mayor Megan Barry’s new initiative to employ more than 10,000 Metro Nashville youth by summer 2017.

The initiative, Opportunity NOW, was created to combat the growing gap in youth employment and help our city’s youth develop sought-after “soft” skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, communication and conflict management.

Designed as a private-public partnership to encourage an “internship-to-talent-recruitment” pipeline, this program hopes to hone skill-building and professional development while serving as the central recruitment system for young people.

“We want to connect youth to hope, and that means connecting them to opportunities and jobs,” said Barry.

As a strong supporter of this effort, the Chamber asks for your organization’s participation in making this initiative a success for our youth. By providing real-world work experiences and helping people explore careers at an earlier age, Opportunity NOW will help build a stronger foundation for our city’s economic prosperity.  

This program targets young people ages 14 to 24 years old. Skill-building will be tailored to the individuals in supported employment programs, providing age-appropriate content and responsibilities. The program is available to all industries and disciplines, as it seeks to expose youth to diverse opportunities. Employers are key to providing these meaningful work experiences. Beginning in January, companies will be able to post available positions for summer internships, afterschool opportunities and entry-level work on the Opportunity NOW website.

If your organization would like more information regarding Opportunity NOW, visit on.nashville.gov. To register your organization to participate as an employer, please email opportunitynow@nashville.gov.

Let’s help Mayor Barry create real ways for large numbers of young people throughout the Nashville community to access employment.