Working professionals, jobseekers, and students are encouraged to stop by the Quality Inn in Brattleboro, Sept. 26, to learn about the variety of careers that Southeastern Vermont businesses have to offer. Twenty five employers, along with several colleges, technical schools, and employment services agencies, will be staffing informational tables from 2 to 6 p.m. as part of Windham County’s first ever Career Expo.
The Expo will showcase several of the county’s largest employers in health care, hospitality, manufacturing, wholesale trade, food production, and energy, among other industry sectors. A complete list of exhibitors is available at www.vermontcareerexpo.com/exhibitors.
Whether an experienced worker or a newcomer to the job market, all interested individuals are welcome to attend; they are encouraged to RSVP by going to https://www.facebook.com/events/308729379259108/. Event planners highly recommend that attendees wear professional attire and bring several copies of their resume. But, even more important, they should come prepared to learn something new.
“While we certainly expect that some employers will recruit for current job openings and some individuals will leave the event with job applications in hand, the Career Expo is not intended to be your run-of-the-mill job fair,” said Expo Coordinator David Altstadt. “First and foremost, we are trying to get the word out about what it is that our local businesses do, the variety of occupational fields they employ workers in, and the qualifications they desire in new hires, such as preferred educational levels, job-related skills, and prior work experience.
“By providing a venue for employers to share their story, we believe that more people will want to grow their careers in Southeastern Vermont and, more importantly, will know how to do it,” Altstadt added. “Our community prospers when more people are able to land their dream job while employers have the high quality staff they need to compete in a global economy.”
By attending the Career Expo, working professionals will be able to expand their professional networks and learn about prospects for advancing their careers in Southeastern Vermont. For students, the Expo will present opportunities for internships and part-time work and help them chart out their career path post graduation. Other attendees may walk away from employer conversations recognizing that they need additional education or training to qualify for their desired careers.
Several education providers will be on hand to provide information on program offerings that can prepare workers for occupations in demand in the local labor market. In addition, several human services agencies will be at the Career Expo to offer job search assistance and information about various work supports available in the community.
In the weeks leading up the Career Expo, the Vermont Department of Labor and Creative Workforce Solutions are offering workshops throughout Windham County to help jobseekers prepare for the Expo and make a good impression with exhibitors. For more information, go to www.vermontcareerexpo.com/workshop/.
The Career Expo is made possible by the generous financial contributions of C & S Wholesale Grocers, Brattleboro Retreat, Commonwealth Dairy, Entergy Vermont Yankee, Green Mountain Power, Against the Grain Gourmet, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation/SeVEDS, Chroma Technologies, Creative Workforce Solutions, Fairpoint Communications, GS Precision, Members 1st Credit Union, Mount Snow, New Chapter, Sonnax, Southeastern Vermont Community Action, Stratton Mountain Resort, TD Bank, The Richards Group, Vermont Department of Labor, Windham Regional Career Center.
For more information, email vermontcareerexpo@gmail.com.
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