The Grey County Regional Job Fair is coming up in Owen Sound and the YMCA’s employment services can help you update your resume and practice your job interview skills ahead of the event.
The County says this year, the job fair is on Valentine’s Day and they’re looking to match employers and job seekers. Grey County and its partner organizations have expanded capacity at the Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound to accommodate more employer booths and there is still more room for employers. As of January 30th, about 80 employers had signed up, but there is room for up to 140.
Grey County Economic Development Officer Jacinda Rudolph says there are job opportunities at every level, from entry to the professional level. “We have a lot more skilled positions, professional positions then we do entry level positions, than we normally do,” says Rudolph.
She adds, there are still plenty of jobs at entry level, explaining, 40 to 45 per cent of the employers who have registered so far have indicated they’re looking to hire students as well.
Manager of Employment Services at the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce Sharon Baynham says, “We actually have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the whole of the province, in this area.”
She notes, it can be a struggle for employers to fill their workforce, adding, “Employers are starting to look at different ways of hiring people.” She says, “So even though they may want a specific skill set, they may hire somebody who does not yet have that skill set but they are willing to train.”
Baynham notes, sometimes the YMCA has funding that can assist with training and help provide other training materials. She uses the example of auto mechanics recently accessing grants to scale up their skills to work on electric vehicles.
Baynham says the YMCA is a free resource that can also provide help your job search and with creating or updating a resume. They can work with you on interview prep as well. Baynham says they will even do mock interviews, and they have online resources for job seekers of all levels.
To get in touch with them, you can call 519-371-9222. The YMCA has satellite offices around Grey Bruce and are able to assist people in many parts of the region. They have services in Hanover and Owen Sound that provide printers, computers and phones.
The Job Fair is set to be held February 14th from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Rudolph says the County is also looking to help anyone who may need transportation to the job fair. There is a form on the website for those who are in Grey County need transportation to the event. “If you’re looking for access to get there and transportation, we’ll work with you to try and make sure that you do get there,” says Rudolph.
You can learn more about the job fair here: https://www.grey.ca/government/special-projects/2024-regional-job-fair
You can learn more about YMCA Employment Services here: https://www.ymcaowensound.on.ca/employment/employment-programs/