The YMCA's Employment Centre hosted a drive-thru job fair on Wednesday with 12 employers interviewing job speakers at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede grounds.--News Photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A local employment agency says its drive-thru job fair on Wednesday was the best-attended since the YMCA Employment Centre began hosting the unusual hiring fairs last spring.
A dozen employers, including several major employers, connected with applicants at the parking lot of the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede grounds during the day and held in-person interviews in the massive Cypress Pavillion.
Organizers say it was the largest number of employers among four fairs held since pandemic protocols were implemented last year. And it shows the best variety of employment opportunities for those looking for work.
“There was a little something for everyone,” said Jodie Engbert, the manager of the employment services office at the YMCA of Medicine Hat and Brooks.
“To have 12 employers, that’s our biggest, and we plan to have at least two more.”
Along with service industry positions, jobs for tradespeople, warehouse help, sales taxi drivers, bank and financial advisors, were offered by individual companies.
JBS Foods in Brooks sought to fill a variety of positions. The YMCA itself was hiring staff for summer programming.
Mooks Fabrics in Medicine Hat was hiring workers to staff a recent expansion.
Katherine Thompson, the head of recruiting for the Good Samaritans Society, which operates long-term care facilities in Medicine Hat, and offers a program to earn certification mixing classroom time with a work term.
“We’re always looking for health-care aides, and LPNs (licensed practical nurses) are always in demand,” said Thompson, who described her afternoon interviewing candidates as “fantastic.”
Other companies involved in the fair were Brost Developments, Deluxe Central Taxi, Servus Credit Union, Sun Life Financial, the Elkwater Lake Lodge, Next Step Residential Services, and Budget Blinds.
