ReMA Highlights Career Opportunities at First Ever Recycling Jobs Day

On Wednesday, November 5, ReMA hosted its first ever Recycling Jobs Day Information Session at Nunez Community College in Chalmette, Louisiana. Panelists from ReMA-member companies EMR and Colt Scrap Tire along with Shannon Fertitta from RIOS provided insights into the recycled materials industry and answered questions from the students about career opportunities.

Across the three sessions, approximately 55 students attended. The information sessions served as a preview for the Recycling Jobs Day tours at EMR and Colt on Wednesday, November 12. Tour attendees included students from process technology, heavy equipment, environmental sciences, electrical construction, and more who wanted to learn more about jobs in the recycled materials industry.

According to Natalie Betts, ReMA's Assistant Vice President of Sustainability, the idea for ReMA's Recycling Jobs Day came from thinking of new strategies to connect members to future talent, especially students in training programs and post-secondary degree programs in fields related to recycling.

"The Recycling Jobs Day was partly inspired by Manufacturing Day, which is held by the National Association of Manufacturers every year, where manufacturers bring students to their facilities so they can learn more about manufacturing jobs," Betts said. "We were connected with Nunez Community College, and we learned they had multiple programs that were a perfect match for the skills our industry needs: a heavy equipment operator program, a process technician program, electrical instrumentation, and more. Nunez was a great fit for our members and a great partner."

The success of ReMA's Recycling Jobs Day was through the efforts of several people and groups, including ReMA's Gulf Coast Chapter. The chapter helped connect ReMA staff with individuals at Colt Scrap Tire and EMR to serve on the panel, were supportive throughout the planning process, and helped spread the word about the event.

Though still new to ReMA after starting in October 2025, Zoë Bierce, ReMA's new Program Coordinator for Youth Outreach and Workforce Development, saw positive results after the event from the students.

"It was great to see that the students really enjoyed the tours and learned a lot about the recycled materials industry," she said. "After the event, 91% of the students stated they were more interested in pursuing a career in the industry."

Rachel Bookman, ReMA's Communications Director, also helped lead the information session at Nunez Community College. She served as the moderator and provided background about ReMA and its work for the attendees.

"During the panel, our members discussed the different opportunities and career paths within the industry," Bookman said. "They shared how your path in the industry is really what you make it and were able to address the students' questions like the role of safety in their operations and what soft skills are needed to be successful in the industry."

Bierce noted that several panelists received resumes from the student attendees after the panel had concluded.

"These students sent resumes even before they visited the members' facilities," she said. "It was great seeing how excited they were about the recycled materials industry and the potential career opportunities."

The following week, ReMA took groups of Nunez Community College students to EMR and Colt Scrap Tire to both tour and have in-depth conversations with their teams about what jobs are available at recycling facilities and what a recycling career can look like.

According to Betts, most students said they were interested in joining the oil and gas industry before the tour, an industry with a visible presence in New Orleans.

"This was a great chance to showcase opportunities in other industries," she said. "We wanted to show them that there's another major industry right around the corner where they can apply their skills."

Students shared very positive feedback of their day. One process technology student attendee noted, "I learned today that plants have more to them than just work. They serve a purpose for our community and in the recycling industry especially, it's truly a moving thing. I'd love to put myself into the recycling career because it means something to work in this field, not just for myself but for everyone around me as well."

During the tours, representatives from EMR and Colt walked students through their facilities and demonstrated the work that recyclers do within their communities. Just as several students submitted resumes to EMR and Colt after the panels, Betts noted that some students who were graduating at the end of the year were pulled aside during the tour to discuss upcoming job opportunities. In December, ReMA learned these students was hired by a participating member company.

"The Recycling Jobs Day is an important way for our industry to tell its story to the people we need to inspire to come work for us," Betts said. "We have an incredible story to tell. But we know that you could be living just a few miles away from a recycling facility and have no idea what it's all about. There's nothing like seeing a recycling facility in-person to see the potential for your own career with our industry."

Events like Recycling Jobs Day demonstrate ReMA's commitment to connecting with educational institutions to build career pathways for tomorrow's workforce. Next year, ReMA's workforce team plans to work with ReMA chapters to plan additional events throughout the country.

Another way that ReMA facilitates this connection between recyclers and students/recent graduates is through the ReMA Pathways Program where ReMA places students at member companies for an entire semester for an internship. Companies interested in the Pathways Program or in hosting their own Recycling Jobs Day in their area are encouraged to reach out to Zoë Bierce, [email protected].