‘A new experience’: Virtual job fair set up for those looking for work in El Paso
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Unemployment has surged in the Borderland since the pandemic began. More than 18,000 people have filed claims in the Borderplex region between late April and late May. This region includes El Paso County and a few rural counties in West Texas.
Now, there's a new tool to help you get back to work. Workforce Solutions Borderplex is launching a series of virtual job fairs to connect job seekers with employers looking to fill vacancies.
Tuesday, June 9, is the organization's first-ever virtual job fair event. A spokeswoman for the organization says there are more than 660 jobs available. The openings span a variety of positions at a single company, Teleperformance, which provides business services.
"It's definitely a new experience, but you could expect the same things you would expect in a regular brick and mortar job fair," said Bianca Cervantes, a public affairs and communication manager with Workforce Solutions Borderplex. "Instead of actually speaking with somebody face-to-face and potentially getting an interview in a conference room, you go into the chat room of this booth and you kind of look around and ask questions."
To attend the event, job seekers must register in advance here. Attendees must upload a copy of their resume and are encouraged to dress for success. The event is being held between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
To stay up to date about future job fairs, organizers recommending following Workforce Solutions Borderplex on social media platforms, keeping tabs on their website or calling their hotline at (915) 887-2600.
The organization offers job counseling and other free resources for those who are unemployed. To take advantage of these resources, register a profile with Work In Texas.
"We want to get everybody back to work, so we're working overtime to get as many employers into our system. To get as many job positions into our system and to have people actually see everything that's available," Cervantes said. "We're working with you individually. We're like an HR (human resources) group that works for free for you and the employer. We're just trying to put these matches together."
