Detroit job fair aims to connect jobseekers with employers, training programs
The city of Detroit and Detroit Employment Solutions Corp. will host job fair Friday to connect residents with employers and training programs as part of the new Detroit at Work program.
Available jobs include cooks, production workers, substitute and certified teachers as well as positions with the Detroit Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s office, said Robin Johnston, a spokesman for the employment agency. Pay range is $9-$16 an hour, with some a bit higher.
Additionally, there are dozens of demand-driven training programs available in areas including health care, manufacturing, commercial driving, desktop support, network technology and culinary arts, Johnston said. Following completion of training programs, candidates have a strong chance of interviews with companies recruiting for the positions.
Detroit’s unemployment rate is 7.5 percent, which is the lowest it has been since 2000 but still the highest in the state.
Nicole Sherard-Freeman, president and CEO of the employment agency, said 100-150 people are expected at the first Detroit at Work Opportunities Fair. She said at least one employer is likely to be on site, but that has not been finalized.
Those attending can learn more about Detroit at Work and register for the program, which matches jobseekers with employers and includes information about area job opportunities. Registration can also be done online and is encouraged prior to the event so participants are better prepared, Sherard-Freeman said.
“The whole point is to take opportunities directly into the community so outreach and marketing is targeted to that specific area,” she said.
Similar job fairs are being planned, she said. More information can be found at detroitatwork.com or at the agency’s One-Stop Service Centers in the southwest, northwest and east side of Detroit.
Since its launch, nearly 3,600 Detroit residents have signed up through Detroit at Work, nearly 90 employers have committed to hiring from the pipeline and more than 570 residents have been placed in training programs, according to a city news release.
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