A variety of employers will be represented, including customer service, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, food service, education, and public service, and a range of opportunities form entry level to highly skilled.
The first 2.5 hours of the fair will focus on the more than 500 high school seniors who have confirmed are attending the fair, said Amy Donahoe, director of workforce development for the Greater Springfield Partnership.
“I’m really excited about the high school students because we’ve come to a place where not everybody needs a four-year college degree ... For those students not looking to go away to college, they have a really good opportunity to enter the workforce and find something that fits with them,” she said. “And of course keeping our talent local is something we’ve talking about for a really long time.”
The partnership also worked with Developmental Disabilities of Clark County to have an area for their staff to work with clients before the fair that may need to talk about which employers they want to visit because it “can be very overwhelming.”
“It’s very important to have that inclusion in their workforce and a lot of employees are benefiting from the developmental disability population,” Donahoe said.
Lastly, the fair will also focus on justice-impacted individuals who learn about the fair through the Clark County Department of Reentry. This also falls during Second Chance Month, which is a nationally recognized initiative aimed at raising awareness and advocating for the rights and opportunities of people who’ve been justice-impacted.
Brooke Wagner, director of the Clark County Department of Reentry, said they have had interest from numerous people and community members who’ve expressed interest in the event, and actively promoted the job fair at the recent Fair Chance Wednesday resource fair, which is an event designed for those with prior convictions to connect with employers and local resources.
Wagner said job fairs that feature second-chance employers are not just about finding jobs, but about “rebuilding lives and fostering a more inclusive and compassionate society.”
“A job fair that includes second-chance employers can be a lifeline for justice-impacted citizens seeking to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. By providing opportunities for employment despite past convictions, this job fair sends a clear message of inclusion and acceptance, reaffirming the inherent worth and potential of every individual,” she said.
Reentering the workforce can be an “incredibly daunting task” for justice-impacted individuals who often face a multitude of barriers and challenges, Wagner said.
“Discrimination from employers due to the stigma surrounding criminal records is a significant hurdle that many encounter. Despite possessing the skills and qualifications necessary for employment, they are frequently overlooked in favor of other candidates,” she said.
Second-chance employers at the job fair will display a symbol at their tables, which is “an integral part” of the Clark County Department of Reentry’s logo that “symbolizes growth and redemption, and it holds significance for community members with whom we’ve collaborated.”
“Our aim is to make this symbol recognizable to justice-impacted citizens whom we haven’t yet had the opportunity to work with. Through informative materials provided at the job fair, we hope to spread awareness and foster understanding of the symbol’s meaning and significance among all attendees,” she said.
Donahoe said Wagner explained those individuals would recognize the logo and it will help them better to approach the over 15 second-chance employers, who include: AM/PM Employment, Clark County Offices, McGregor Metalworking, Ohio Department of Transportation, Pure Ohio Wellness, Rocking Horse Center, Topre, Woeber Mustard, Yamada, Marker Construction, Minuteman Press, Rittal, Yost Superior, Crown Equipment Company, US Pro Painters and others.
“That’s a change for us because we didn’t used to see employers eager for that, but I think they realized that there’s a really good workforce who want to change their lives to good,” she said. “Our employers are looking for a skilled workforce, and if there’s a skill set to show up to work on time, do their job and add to the positive culture to the environment, then absolutely why would we not want to hire them.”
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