The Midlothian Business Alliance held its Workforce Development Lunch & Info Fair on Friday, November 15, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM in Hamel Hall at Brightpoint Community College's Midlothian Campus, 800 Charter Colony Pkwy, Midlothian, VA 23114. A panel of workforce development experts — Elizabeth Creamer, Brian Russell, Katy Stokes and Tina Shreve — spoke on how local schools and government were developing the next generation of the workforce as America's population aged. A mini-information fair ran in Room 107 before and after the presentation, and attendees were asked to bring gently used professional clothing for Brightpoint's Career Clothing Closet.
At a glance
What: Workforce Development Lunch & Info Fair, with a career-clothing drive
Who: Elizabeth Creamer, Brian Russell, Katy Stokes, Tina Shreve and Dr. Bill Fiege, President of Brightpoint Community College
When: Friday, November 15, 2024, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Where: Hamel Hall, Brightpoint Community College Midlothian Campus, 800 Charter Colony Pkwy, Midlothian, VA 23114
Cost: Members $25; guests $40
The panel
Elizabeth Creamer was Vice President of Workforce Development at the Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), a shared division of Brightpoint and Reynolds community colleges, which provides regional employers and job seekers with industry sector strategies, talent pipelines, occupational training, workforce credentialing, apprenticeship related instruction and career coaching.
Brian Russell grew up in Chesterfield County, attended Salem Middle School and graduated from L.C. Bird High School. He taught Technology Education at Salem Middle for 14 years, moved into administration at L.C. Bird and spent eight years as an assistant principal at Monacan High School. He became principal of the Tech Center on Hull Street Road and served as principal for both campuses of the CCPS Career & Technical Center.
Katy Stokes was a Work-Based Learning Coordinator for Chesterfield County Public Schools, a Virginia native with more than 19 years in elementary and secondary education. She supported work-based learning at every middle and high school in the district; in 2023–2024, CCPS students took part in more than 28,000 work-based learning experiences aligned to their academic and career plans.
Tina Shreve was Managing Director, Workforce Development, Chesterfield Economic Development. Hired in April 1999, she had worked in all areas of economic development — business development, existing industry retention and workforce development.
Dr. Bill Fiege was President of Brightpoint Community College.
The information fair and clothing drive
Representatives from six organizations staffed the fair in Room 107: Brightpoint Community College, the CCPS Career & Technical Center, the VA Department of Aging & Rehabilitation Services, the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Community College Workforce Alliance, and Chesterfield County Economic Development Workforce Development. Brightpoint's Career Closet was added to the participant list in the November 4 send.
Donations sought for the Career Clothing Closet were blazers, dress pants, button-down shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes and belts, in men's and women's sizes.
Afterward
In its November 18 newsletter the Alliance thanked Brightpoint Community College for hosting, presenters Elizabeth Creamer, Brian Russell, Tina Shreve and Katy Stokes, and the organizations that took part in the info fair. The November 25 revision of that recap added Dr. Bill Fiege, President of Brightpoint Community College, as a presenter and named the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.