Opportunity will soon be knocking thanks to the collaborated efforts of the Richland County OneStop Employment and Training Center and area community agencies partnering up with the common goal to bring job seekers and employers together. The Employment Expo will be held at the Mid Ohio Educational Services Conference Center on September 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. located at 890 West Fourth Street in Mansfield.
Assistant Director of Job & Family Services Lori Bedson said the job fair and partnership is the first one of its kind. “We wanted to create an opportunity for several local agencies to sponsor an event for local employers to meet and hire some local talent,” said Bedson.
The employment expo was initiated by Goodwill Industries Inc. of Akron; Bedson explained she was contacted by Goodwill and informed of their interest to participate in a local job fair. Bedson added that the idea flourished when some contacts from the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services Office of Workforce Development, RCDG, Pumphouse Ministries(Ashland), Crawford County Jobs Plus, Madison Adult Career Center came together.
Bedson believes the event will continue to grow in opportunity and participation stating there are talks underway to make it an annual event with an additional event in the new year that will be more career-oriented with employers looking at possible candidates for on-the-job training.
Benson encourages those interested in attending the expo to pre-register and take advantage of the VIP Job Search Workshops, classes offered to prepare job seekers ahead of time. The classes will offer assistance with preparing a resume, interview coaching and tips on filling out an application. Those who attend the classes will gain VIP status and will be provided with a tag that will help employers identify those who attended the workshop.
For more information and to pre-register for the job fair, call Richland County OneStop at 419-774-5300.
