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Steinorth, Harmsen
SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board co-hosted a job fair with Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) on Monday, October 26 at California State University, San Bernardino. The attendance rate was high during the three-hour event. More than 350 job seekers had the opportunity to meet with 30 employers offering more than 300 jobs in industries including manufacturing, transportation, military, retail and public sectors.
According to Workforce Development Department Deputy Director Miguel McQueen, the job fairs are primarily designed to forge pathways to careers and to connect skilled workers with middle class jobs in the County.
“In our region we have the food service industry on one end and the technological sector at the higher end,” McQueen explained. “Here at the job fair there are multiple paths in between for our county residents to build a career.”
Representatives from the Workforce Investment Board were on-hand to assist job seekers with applications and resumes.
“I’m always looking for better ways to represent the Inland Empire, and my main focus is to bring as much attention to the community as possible. This is a great way to bring resources that help the local community thrive,” explained Steinorth. “If I can’t help the middle class families and businesses as a region, then I’m not doing my job.”
Many attendees gained interview opportunities, submitted applications, and had in-person conversations with potential employers, a rare opportunity in a process that is usually handled online.
“These fairs offer job seekers the opportunity to make connections face to face with numerous employers under one roof. The employers represent a range of industries and that is why we will continue to provide this resource for both employers and job seekers,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos. “This is just one example of our commitment to offer resources and services to develop our workforce in order to help attain countywide prosperity.”
Dana Stirling of Loma Linda, graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2014. By the time of her departure, she had scheduled an interview with an insurance company the following week.
“We realized through the last few job fairs that there was an increase in the number of positions offered by employers,” said Sandy Harmsen, Executive Director of the Workforce Investment Board. “Twenty-five percent of job seekers scheduled an interview within the next week, a good indicator that the economy is continuing to improve and there is a proliferation of jobs on the market.”
