Job fair highlights valley’s growing opportunities

Opportunities are improving for job seekers according to Kenadie Cobbin Richardson, director of business engagement and communications at Workforce Connections.

She and Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly welcomed the community to a seasonal job fair Nov. 5 at Workforce Connections' One-Stop Career Center at 6330 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 190.

"We're really hoping to get a lot of people hired, particularly between the ages of 18 and 24," Cobbin Richardson said as the job fair began. "Studies show that when you work before you're 20, you usually retire from work and have a full working life. So it's really important that you get to work as soon as possible after 16, even if it's just a weekend job or a part-time job."

Job seekers packed in, with the line stretching around the building. Some brought resumes, and all filled out paperwork.

Forms made their way into a room filled with employers looking to beef up the ranks for the holidays. Recruiters from companies such as UPS, GMTCare Medical Transportation, Sackett National Holdings, Diamond Resorts and Sunrise Children's Foundation were among the participants.

As recruiters sifted through stacks of resumes, each decided which candidates to chat with and filled out yellow slips of paper to invite people out of the waiting room and in for quick interviews.

"This is the golden ticket room," Cobbin Richardson explained. "To get a golden ticket, you have to be what they're looking for."

Arielle Saadya, a recruiter seeking drivers and dispatchers for GMTCare, said she makes a point of participating in events at the center.

"I really like coming to hiring events here at One-Stop because that's how I was hired," she said. "I've been at GMT a year now. We're growing, and I'm really excited to be a part of that. They found me here. Maybe I'll find another gem."

Cobbin Richardson said young people have a better shot at being that gem in the rebounding economy.

"Unemployment is a little under 7 percent, which is great since it used to be in double digits," she said. "It's a lot less competitive than it was a year ago. Before, this kind of fair would have drawn out so many adults that youth wouldn't even be considered because of their lack of experience. But because the unemployment rate is lower — and quite, quite low actually from where we've been — youth will have an opportunity this year."

Workforce Connections representative Kathy Topp said the goal of the hiring event is to get time with employers.

"If you have the qualifications, you get that face-to-face opportunity," she said. "If they come here and their resume is lacking something, they can reach out to these partner agencies and say, 'What kind of training do I need?' "

Topp said the goal is to get everyone employed. And for those who don't have the qualifications to get the golden ticket?

"Even if they don't have the qualifications to interview today, maybe next time — or maybe a week from now."

Representatives from organizations such as Goodwill of Southern Nevada and HELP of Southern Nevada were on hand to provide information for prospective employees who may lack qualifications to compete for jobs.

Career Center Manager Bryan Fukuzawa said Goodwill of Southern Nevada has specialized programs for veterans, people with documented disabilities and general programs for anyone 18 or older looking for work. There are also one-time services to help people get what they need to start working.

"If they need help with cards, clothing, education," he said, "we're just getting that information out there so that they're not paying for things out of pocket that they don't have money to pay for."

Lola Hester, a youth programs representative from HELP of Southern Nevada, said the nonprofit helps with bus passes, clothing and certifications with a special emphasis on displaced homemakers and dropout recovery.

"So if they don't have a GED, they dropped out, and they don't have a diploma, we want them. We literally want them," she said. "You have some teenagers at the age of 19, 20; they give up. They just feel like there is no more hope. They feel like, 'What is the use?' And even 24 — by that time they think, 'Forget it. I'll just go get a job.' Our job is to say, 'Hey look, you can do this.' "

Visit nvcareercenter.org.

— Contact View contributing reporter Ginger Meurer at gmeurer@viewnews.com. Find her on Twitter: @gingermmm.