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Thu, Mar

West Angeles CDC’s career fair brings employers to the community

Career

The Crenshaw Community Career Fair takes place on October 28.

Career Fair Flyer web

By Tracey Edwards

The West Angeles Community Development Corporation (CDC) is collaborating with faith-based churches, non-profit organizations, and local politicians to lower the unemployment rate in South Los Angeles.  These organizations are coming together to host the Crenshaw Community Career Fair, which will be held behind the West Angeles Church of God in Christ cathedral.

“We’re providing people in our community the opportunity to come directly to the table where employers are hiring,” said Tonia Knightner, director of economic development at the West Angeles CDC.  “Everybody who is there is hiring.”

Finding employment can be difficult in today’s job market, especially because most companies do not accept applications in person.  Job seekers are typically sent to the company’s website to apply for jobs, which can be extremely discouraging because of the lack of response.  

“Our goal is to create a vehicle where we can get people that have given up; people who are still fighting to find work; people who can’t get directly to the employer; people who can’t get past an email, an opportunity to be face-to-face with employers.”

Knightner recommends that people wear professional attire because many of the companies will send their hiring managers to this career fair, and some of them will be conducting interviews on the spot.   So this career fair should be treated as if it is a job interview.

“We want people to walk away with jobs,” she said.  “We understand that the companies do have an internal process, but at least we’re getting the community directly to the employer.”

Knightner also recommends that people bring many copies of their resume, as the West Angeles CDC is looking to have 80 companies on site.  There will be a wide range of jobs offered, such as employment in the fields of engineering, construction, hospitality, food service, law enforcement, and transportation.  

For people who are looking for a trade or a new career path, there will be companies on hand that have training programs.  There will also be a resource center for youth jobs.

This career fair is in collaboration with Holman CDC, Faithful Central Bible Church, First A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles, Ward CDC, Center of Hope in Inglewood, Jobs R4U, and local politicians, including City Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.

West Angeles Church of God in Christ is located at 3600 Crenshaw Blvd.  The career fair is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  For more information, call (323) 751-3440, visit www.westangelescdc.org, and find them on Facebook. Online registration is available. 

 

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