BGC Airdrie is hosting its first in-person youth job fair since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic next week, in conjunction with Prospect Human Services – an Airdrie-based non-profit organization that aims to help Albertans from all walks of life find work.
The fair will be held on Mar. 30 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the BCG Airdrie Youth Centre, located at 200 East Lake Crescent.
According to Wendy Smith, program manager at Prospect, though in-person job fairs were halted during the pandemic, the organization has been hosting one annually for six years, with a virtual version held in 2021.
She said the annual job fairs began in response to a recognized need in the community for young people to learn networking and job-seeking skills.
“We’ve been so fortunate to partner with the Boys and Girls Club and use their knowledge of the youth and the community and their connections with youth,” she said. “The trust the youth have for them helps us make this successful.”
She said the last in-person job fair was held in March 2020 – with 550 youth in attendance – before public health restrictions clamped down on in-person gatherings.
Thereafter, in 2021, a virtual job fair was held over Zoom and attended by approximately 200 teens and young people.
“We know in-person is really the way everybody wants to do things,” Smith said.
She added the upcoming job fair will feature 20 to 25 employers set up at individual booths or tables. Attendees can come in, take a tour of the facility, and determine which employers they would like to mingle with.
“We’ll give them a guide, so they know which employers are hiring [employees] under 18,” she said. “Because right now, we’re looking at ages 15 to 25, so some employers will be there for over 19. But we’ve really tried to find those under-18 employers as well.”
According to Smith, the most important thing her organization has witnessed regarding young people is that many don’t know how to get their foot in the door when it comes to seeking employment. Oftentimes, they need support in developing a resume, building the confidence and skills to fill their portfolios, or how to write a cover letter.
“They’re not alone and they get to go and talk to the employer,” Smith said. “It’s not a job interview, so the employers are there to get to know the people – maybe there will be a connection.
“Maybe they’ll ask for a resume to be emailed later, but it’s really that opportunity to talk to the employers and see that it isn’t scary, it's just unknown.”
She added Prospect Human Services hopes to make all attendees feel comfortable and that staff will be there to support them along the way.
“If youth are feeling nervous, we can go with you to the employers, we can introduce you to the employers,” she said. “We’re ready to make those connections with you and then also offer one-on-one career advising.”
Prospect Human Services offers free assistance through the aid of government funding to people of all ages who are looking to find a job.
“Any Albertan can get a hold of us, and we will sit down with them one-on-one and make their resume, show them how to do a job search, teach them how to use things like Indeed or LinkedIn, show them the local job boards,” Smith said. “We also have a Facebook group where we post local jobs all day long, completely free to access.”
She added the youth job fair is free to attend, both for employers looking to set up a table as well as young people seeking employment. In addition, she said the job fair is open to anyone and masks will not be required, but if attendees feel more comfortable wearing one, they are encouraged to do so.
“We'll have hand-sanitizer available. We're going to watch how many people come in, so hopefully we can still maintain social distancing as much as possible," she said.
