Economic development director proposes countywide career fair after Hub 19 visit

Breanne, Greene County’s economic development lead, updated the commissioners on workforce development and proposed a countywide career fair for the 2026–27 school year based on practices observed at Vincennes University’s Jasper campus.

"We think that would be a benefit to not just schools and workforce development, but the employers and then the businesses," Breanne said, describing Hub 19’s method of introducing career concepts progressively across grades K–12. She said Greene County is exploring hosting two fairs to reduce the number of days employers must be away from work.

Breanne also reported staff changes and program management: a new staff member, Aubrey, has taken responsibility for the revolving loan fund and for website and social media updates, and the office plans to roll out a new website and newsletter by the end of the week. She said local volunteers are willing to help with career fairs and other efforts.

Other items in her report included ongoing work on housing and long-range strategic planning, updates on the Mississippi industrial park and Prometheus (which provided a utilities map and is seeking a new engineering firm), and planning for a June 26 golf scramble fundraiser.

The board did not take formal action on the proposal at the meeting; Breanne said staff will follow up with school leaders and return with implementation details as planning continues.