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Workforce System Success Stories - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Job fairs, hiring events, and community resource fairs are great opportunities to bring jobseekers together with resources and employers. Let’s take a look at the incredible impact just two such events have made as 2023 drew to a close.

Frederick Hiring Event Market's Statewide Employment Opportunities

Workforce partners helped 200+ jobseekers and 14 employers gain an edge on 2024 when they hosted a hugely successful community job fair/hiring event in Frederick, Maryland in early December. The 200+ jobseekers in attendance at the fair were able to establish valuable employer contacts and access workforce system resources in real time. Most importantly, many jobseekers left the event with job offers in hand or solid employment connections, and employers found the talent their organizations needed to ring in the new year right.

Here are a few impressive fast facts from this fabulous community job fair:

  • Fourteen employers participated, seeking to fill positions in locations throughout the state of Maryland.
  • Ten jobseekers left the event with firm job offers, and many additional participants left with pending offers.
  • Employers in attendance included: the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Navy Reserve, U.S. Army, Shepherd Pratt, Frederick National Lab, Army Community Services, Frederick County Government, Frederick County Public Schools, 7-11 Inc., Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS).
  • While all of the employers were terrific, DJS was the uncontested star of the event. Seven DJS staff attended the event, during which they met individually with 50 jobseekers and conducted formal interviews with 12. DJS even brought a fingerprinting machine along, which made it possible for them to offer seven applicants jobs on the spot. DJS was so pleased with the outcome, they are already planning to come equipped with more staff so they can interview more jobseekers at the workforce system's next job fair.
  • A representative from the Frederick County Small Business Development Center met with 30 participants to discuss their interest in starting new businesses.
  • The Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning's (DWDAL)’s Professional Outplacement and Assistance Center team offered personalized coaching sessions to jobseekers on the federal and private sector application processes, interviewing techniques, and building a professional social media presence.
  • ResumeFix founder Charlie Reagan provided guidance on résumé writing to over 40 participants, and personally reviewed and provided feedback on the résumés of 12 individuals during the event.
  • The Love for Lochlin health services bus offered free flu shots and twelve attendees took them up on it.
  • To help participants maintain their strength, 7-11 was onsite, distributing free pizza, beef sliders, water, and an assortment of individually packaged sweet and savory snacks.

Kudos to the dynamic workforce staff who pulled together such an epic event in such a short time. Your efforts touched many lives and are setting the stage for a bright new year for Maryland!