Youth take advantage of job fair
Imperial Valley Mall food court served as a perfect rendezvous for job seekers and employers alike who needed one another yet wanted to spare time and expense at finding the right fit on Thursday.
Sponsored by Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program, Imperial County Workforce Development Department and the Employment Development Department, they strove to match up employers with qualified employees. Yet the hiring process tends to be costly noted Luis De La Torre, IVROP project coordinator.
“So the job fair is much less expensive than the relative avenues typically used for hiring,” he said. “For potential employees, it’s an opportunity to reach out to lots of employers in relatively short time in one location.”
Casual observation at the job fair showed there are numerous local businesses seeking staff but most employers say they need enthusiastic, motivated and dependable team players remarked De La Torre. After the first hour 250 applicants appeared with 500 anticipated at the fair, served by 25 employers. Along with a number of Mall retailers there were also representatives from Wells Fargo Bank, Pay Less Auto Insurance, Target, Walmart, U.S. Border Patrol, AmeriCorps, E People, Imperial County Office of Education and Central Union High School District.
Arriving from Heber, Jose Fajardo applied for a job as a receptionist at State Farm Insurance. Although he has no experience he does have customer service skills. “They say they’re looking for someone who is outgoing, thick-skinned and available full time,” said Fajardo. “I certainly feel confident I could meet all those requirements.”
State Farm actually had three jobs available but they wanted to start someone as a receptionist who would eventually become licensed and sell insurance, noted Rachel Vooris, office manager. Licensing course work can be completed in 40 hours and another 12 hours for code and ethics, all done online. But aspiring insurance salesmen must take the exam at the state testing center in San Diego. “We prefer experience but it’s not necessary,” said Vooris. “We’ll hire high school graduates.”
Stephanie Bernal is an undeclared major at Imperial Valley College and is looking for any job that works well with her school schedule. She spoke to a Wells Fargo representative about a teller position that required no prior experience.
“It was very informative,” said Stephanie. “They don’t have any openings now but they encouraged me to keep applying. I’ll probably apply online soon and hopefully they’ll have something open soon.”
Former Valley resident Ana Velazquez returned from a former job in Worcester, Mass., where she was a housing discrimination intake coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Social Work degree. “I’m looking for anything related to customer service and right now I’m just looking for an income,” she said. “IVROP is great and has a plethora of programs. And I’m even submitting an application there.”
Recruiting for substitute teachers was Elvia Martinez, a clerical assistant with the Imperial County Office of Education. “I’m providing information on how to become a substitute teacher with just a BA,” she said. “You need to pass the California Basic skills exam but you can get a wavier for one year. But I also want to let applicants know we’re hiring for certified and classified employees.”
Learn more at www.ivrop.org.