An extremely strong turnout at a Windsor job fair is highlighting demand for employment opportunities across the region. About 1,300 people attended the event Thursday at the Caboto Club, where 35 employers from sectors including manufacturing, health care, agriculture and retail met with job seekers. The job fair was hosted by Workforce WindsorEssex through the Windsor Regional Employment Network. It came one day after Costco held a hiring event at the Serbian Centre that drew more than 1,100 people. Employers at Thursday’s event included Costco, Anchor Danly, Caesars Windsor, the City of Windsor, ENWIN Utilities, Erie Shores HealthCare, Ford Motor Company, Minth Group, Nature Fresh Farms, the Ontario Provincial Police, Schlegel Villages and Windsor Regional Hospital. While Costco conducted on-site interviews, other employers accepted resumes and spoke directly with prospective candidates. Aaron Fauteux, service innovation lead with Workforce WindsorEssex, said attendees ranged from first-time job seekers to experienced workers looking for new opportunities. “We’re hearing a little bit of everything,” Fauteux said. “We’re hearing people who are unemployed and looking for work. We’re hearing from people who have work and are looking for something different or maybe something better. We’re hearing from people with lots of experience and people who are coming in with little to no experience that are hoping for entry-level jobs.” Fauteux said several employers attracted significant interest, particularly those offering entry-level positions. “There was a lot of interest in some of the employers,” he said. “I noticed we had Minth, which was here, they had some long lines. The hospital had some long lines. There are a few employers, I think, that stuck out that tended to gather crowds, and I think a lot of those tended to be entry-level positions.” He said in-person job fairs continue to resonate with job seekers because they provide opportunities for face-to-face interactions with employers. “They’re just happy to meet someone face to face,” Fauteux said. “Even if they’re not doing an interview, even if they’re just dropping off a resume, it’s nice to shake a hand, say hello, put a face to the name, and know that someone’s looking at your resume instead of just sending it through some online form.” Workforce WindsorEssex says its annual September job fair has grown steadily over the years as awareness of the event has increased. Smaller job fairs are also held throughout the year for individual employers. The Windsor Regional Employment Network is a partnership between Workforce WindsorEssex and the City of Windsor. Job seekers can follow the network’s social media channels for information about upcoming employment opportunities and job fairs.
