Puna Rising Youth Hub · Free Community Event
Puna Youth
Career Fair
As an incentive we will be giving away free gifts including snacks, food, and $50 gift certificates at this event.
You must fill out our survey to be automatically added to the $50 certificate raffle. We will give away 10 certificates.
You must be present to win!
Connecting East Hawaiʻi teens with local jobs, apprenticeships, and real opportunity right here at home.
Who Should Come
Open to youth and local businesses
This event is built for two groups: young people who want to explore what is possible, and businesses that want to invest in Puna's next generation.
- Curious about what jobs and careers exist locally
- Looking for a first job or apprenticeship
- Wanting to meet people who can open doors
- Not sure where to start? That is fine too
- Attending is free, no experience required
- Want to meet motivated young people
- Have jobs, apprenticeships, or internships to offer
- Want to share what skills they look for in a hire
- Are committed to keeping talent in East Hawaiʻi
- Table hosting is free to participate
What to Expect
What happens at the fair
A focused, welcoming three-hour event designed to create real conversations between young people and local employers.
Meet Local Employers
Talk directly with Puna-area businesses, learn what they do, and find out what it takes to work there.
Explore Real Opportunities
Discover jobs, apprenticeships, and career paths available right here in East Hawaiʻi.
Build Connections
Leave with names, contacts, and a clearer sense of what your next step could look like.
"Every young person who finds their path here means one more family that can stay, one more business that can grow with local talent, one more step toward a self-sufficient Puna."
Sylvia Dolena · Youth Hub Director
For Local Businesses
Host a table at the fair
We are inviting Puna-area businesses to set up a table, meet youth face to face, and help shape what is possible for the next generation of the local workforce. Participation is free.
- Host an information table for the duration of the event
- Send a representative to talk with youth about your work and what skills you look for
- Share any job openings, apprenticeships, or internship opportunities
- Help young people understand what a real career path looks like
Why This Matters
Puna's youth need a path to stay home
This event is part of a larger effort to reverse a pattern that has been taking hold for decades. Our young people deserve to build their futures here.
More Native Hawaiians now live outside the state than within it, driven largely by the cost of living and limited local opportunity. The 2018 Kilauea eruption and COVID-19 compounded these pressures, wiping out small businesses and jobs across Puna.
The Youth Hub exists to change that by giving young people the skills, connections, and confidence to build a future right here. The Career Fair is the next step in that work.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Come to the fair
Free and open to all youth ages 14 to 19 and local businesses. No experience needed. Just show up.
15-1397 Homestead Rd, Pahoa, HI
Puna Rising wants to network, connect, and collaborate with all of our Puna neighbors and businesses. Interested in connecting with us? Contact us at punarising.com/contact