District hosting OhioMeansJobs job fair

Lorain City Schools has partnered with OhioMeansJobs for a job fair March 27 at Lorain High School, 2600 Ashland Ave.

The job fair will include over 60 businesses from around the area, according to the school district.

The event seeks to help graduating seniors hit the ground running, the school district said.

Doors will open to the public from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“This event will serve as a platform for graduating seniors preparing to enter the workforce and community members seeking employment opportunities,” according to a news release from the school district. “With various industries represented, attendees can engage directly with potential employers and gain valuable insights into different career paths.”

The event is a huge opportunity for those in need around the area, according to Chris Durkin, business service coordinator for the Lorain County Workforce Development Agency.

In addition to hosting periodic job fairs within the district, OhioMeansJobs works as a resource within the school, Durkin said.

He explained that the agency consists of about 10 different subsections that are focused on helping employers find employees, and vice versa.

“There’s like 10 different agencies (at OhioMeansJobs) that are all focused on helping the individual, one way or another,” Durkin said. “Whether it’s with their job search, or resume workshops, interviewing workshops.

“For myself, if you are hiring or training, we have funding to help you.”

Durkin stressed that these job fair events can be important for prospective employees of any age.

For years, OhioMeansJobs has worked to get more work experience for youth in Lorain County, he said.

“We have a phenomenal youth program,” Durkin said. “We service somewhere around 300 youth a year.

“Youth can be 15 to 24 (years old), of course most of them are going to be 16 to 18. They can be in school or out of school.”

The OhioMeansJobs team is focused on helping the next generation, Durkin said, but the job fair is open to anyone.

Employment opportunities can be much easier to recommend to students when the organization has resource officers who already are integrated into the school district, he said.

“This particular one is (hosted by) Lorain City Schools because part of our youth team,” Durkin said. “A number of those folks also go to one or more of the local schools to be an employee resource officer.

“They go to the schools at least once a week. Young

people who have questions about careers or jobs, they go and become engaged with our system.”

The success rate with the organization’s most recent job fairs has been exceptional, Durkin said.

OhioMeansJobs has job fairs all across Lorain County, he said.

“There’s been a very good success rate with them finding employees and hiring them through the job fair process,” he said. “We have similar partnerships with Oberlin.

“We’ve done one with them and we are planning several more.”

The job fair will feature both on-site interviews and outside networking opportunities, according to the school district.

All are welcome.