Tomorrow, May 24, 2021, The Mercer County One-Stop Career center is hosting their annual job fair. Similar to the operation of 2020, the One-Stop is making the job hunting experience one you can do from the comfort of your own car.
From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., employment seeking Mercer County residents can line there car up at the CURE Insurance Arena to participate in the One-Stop Career Center Drive-Thru Job Fair. During the event, passerby’s will have the opportunity to connect with about 64 potential employers who are actively looking for new employees.
“People are just going to drive through, literally, and we will give them a packet of information,” said Virgen Velez, Director of Mercer County’s One-Stop Career Center. “You know, a lot of people, they don’t know where to start when look for a job. So here, you have all of these options.”
The Mercer County One-Stop Career Center, which has held an annual job fair for over the past three years, created this drive-tru model in 2020 amidst the uproar of the COVID-19 pandemic. This organized, socially-distant version of a fair is One-Stop’s new way of connecting those unemployed to the job market, especially during these uncertain times.
Although a trial phase in 2020, last year’s drive-thru fair was a success. With 45 employers looking to hire and 535 registered participants, it is safe to say multiple individuals found a position matching their needs and abilities.
“It worked out so well last time,” said Velez. “People were very appreciative, coming through and just saying, ‘thank you so much for doing this.'”
The One-Stop Career Center is anticipating an even busier job fair this time around with an additional 19 companies and organizations seeking to hire, including The New Jersey Department of Transportation, Thomas Edison State University, The Civil Service Commission and much more. The job market possibilities are endless.
“We have all kinds of jobs. There’s part time, full time, seasonal, professional, technical, entry level jobs, etc. There’s all kinds of industries: healthcare, food service, manufacturing, education, etc,” said Velez. “We really have a large variety of jobs that are going to be available, or at least information on jobs available.”
One-Stop has created a comprehensive list of employment opportunities for all participants. Those who attend will receive the list complete with contact information, along with flyers handed out by attending employers. Anyone who registers for the fair will also receive the same information via email.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, employers are telling us they are open for business and eager to immediately hire new employees,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. “This innovative drive-in job fair through our One Stop Career Center will directly connect prospective employees on the spot, and I encourage anyone looking for meaningful work, or to make a job change, to stop by on May 24.”
Register for the One-Stop Drive-Thru Job Fair HERE!
