Local youth and part time work seekers are sure to find some great opportunities at Airdrie’s upcoming job fair on April 10.
The Local Youth & Part Time Job Fair takes place from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Genesis Place, hosted by the Airdrie Regional Chamber, Prospect Human Services, Boys & Girls Club of Airdrie and the City Of Airdrie.
Heidi Lane from Prospect Human Services, an organization that helps people get hired, explained this is one of two annual job fairs hosted in Airdrie, with the spring fair focused on youth and part time work while the fall fair focuses on the general public. Having said that, anyone is welcome, Lane said.
“Our goal is really to bring as many employers who focus on [part time] opportunities, to connect job seekers with the opportunities that they're looking for,” Lane said.
“Most jobs these days ask you to apply online, so our goal is to really create an environment where you'd have the opportunity to have real face to face conversations with actively hiring employers.”
Anyone seeking part time work opportunities will find some benefit at the job fair. Lane added that some employers are also looking for full time opportunities.
As of a week prior to the fair, twenty employers with a wide range of work were registered for the fair.
“We have some retailers coming, we have more labour intensive roles such as arbourists… There's everything from administrative roles, retail roles, labour and everything in between,” Lane said.
Additionally, Prospect is providing workshops during the job fair. These will focus on resume tips, interviewing, and there will also be a five-minute resume review table.
Prospect specializes and provides a lot of support getting job seekers ready for employment.
“Sometimes there's a gap between where they are and where they need to be to be ready to join the workforce,” Lane said. “So we help bridge that gap, whether it's through our programs helping prepare folks for work or resume advice. Then we also do have career advisors who work with folks more closely to help connect them with an opportunity.”
Lane said they are noticing hiring is a bit slower at the moment across Calgary, Rocky View County and Airdrie.
“I am certainly not an expert in this area, but from what I am hearing it's more of an employers' job market,” she said.
There is a slight shift towards vacancies within construction and labour-intensive jobs, but Lane added there is also an uptick in retailers and other support roles.
Other opportunities currently available include support workers such as child care workers and health care aids.
According to an Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC) network study done in late 2023, almost eight-in-ten organizations reported they have experienced a skills shortage in the last year or two. Hiring workers with a lower skill levels means employers are having to adapt to shortfalls.
Airdrie’s job fairs typically see between 400 or 500 job seekers come through the doors, Lane said, and the employers who return every year speak to the success of the fair.
