Job Seekers get a Second Chance at the Re-Entry Expo and Job Fair
Working in a fulfilling career and achieving economic independence can give one a sense of pride and self-worth. However, many DES clients who seek employment face barriers such as prior convictions, disabilities, education, homelessness, and more.
Our colleagues in the Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS) aren’t discouraged when they encounter a client with a barrier to employment. In fact, many of them jump at the opportunity to place the client in a worthwhile, sustainable vocation.
On Thursday, September 29th, hundreds of job seekers came out for the "Re-Entry Expo & Job Fair" at Gateway Community College’s Central City campus. DERS colleagues worked alongside community partners to plan this year’s event.
With the focus on the reintegration of ex-offenders into the workforce, the morning kicked off with workshops covering "How to Keep a Job," "How to Share Legal History," and the very fitting topic of "How to Work a job Fair."
The afternoon was a sea of tables set up into two sections: one for employers who were hiring, and the other for community providers who serve ex-offenders.
Dress for Success brought their "mobile closet" and gave women at the event the opportunity to pick out free, professional clothing items to wear to their job interviews.
DERS colleagues Janice Bradford, Yvonne Coleman, and Maria Nino provided job seekers with resources for obtaining employment when a disability may be a factor. Tyon Downing and Michael Montoya spoke with veterans about additional services available to them.
Twenty-five "felon-friendly" employers spoke to job seekers about the hundreds of available jobs they hoped to fill within their organizations. James Hinlen, from Synergy Solutions, explained that he was searching for candidates to fill 260 positions at the Shutterfly call center. "We are doing on the spot-interviews," explained Hinlen. "I have a folder full of applications from people that we would love to hire!"
Sydney Gibson was one of those candidates.
"This is the first job fair I have ever attended," said Gibson. "I was kind of losing hope of finding a job, until I came here. You make one mistake, and it’s like you don’t get a second chance. But you do get a second chance, because you get to come to job fairs like this one."
By Jillian Seamans