The Grey Bruce Regional Job Fair went virtual this year, using a digital platform to link job seekers with local employers. On Wednesday, March 10, over 700 job seekers logged in to explore more than 1,500 job opportunities from 125 local employers.
Local employment service providers were on hand to help job seekers update their resumes, build their online profiles, and prepare to highlight their skills for prospective employers. Employers set up virtual booths to showcase their job opportunities. They were also able to schedule appointments with potential hires and send direct messages to promising candidates for days leading up to the event. Pre-registration allowed job seekers to build a compelling profile for employers to search out in advance.
Around 2,000 interactions between employers and job seekers took place throughout the four-hour event.
The 2021 Grey Bruce Virtual Job Fair was organized by YMCA Employment Services and the the economic development departments in Grey County and Bruce County. It was held in partnership with VPI Solutions, the Four County Labour Market Planning Board, Georgian College, the City of Owen Sound, and Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership.
Sponsorship from Communitech, Digital Main Street, and FedDev enabled the organizers to waive booth fees for employers and sponsorship from Regional Tourism Marketing Organization 7 covered the costs of a digital marketing campaign for the event.
Once again, Grey County worked with the Rural Employment Initiative to attract even more potential employees from outside the region to the job fair to support our local labour challenges. The Rural Employment Initiative works directly with immigrant clients wanting to relocate to rural communities. The Grey Bruce Regional Job Fair not only helped connect employers to job seekers, but also highlights our region as a community ready to welcome newcomers.
