Feb. 15, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
An online job fair is scheduled to take place Thursday to help out-of-work residents find employment as the one-year anniversary of lockdown restrictions grows near.
The virtual fair, which is being hosted by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, will kick off via Zoom on Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. and job seekers will get a chance to connect with a number of employers.
The event is expected to last about 90 minutes and participants will hear presentations from company representatives and recruiters.
There are a number of jobs up for grabs in a range of sectors. Employers will come from the aviation, transportation, retail, finance and non-profit industries.
The event is part of a series that has been taking place throughout the pandemic to help laid-off residents find work. The first event was held on May 13.
The latest fair comes at a time when the borough’s unemployment rate remains stubbornly high. The figure stood at 10.7 percent in December–the most recent number reported, according to the Queens Borough President’s Office.
The unemployment rate is down from a pandemic high of 21.6 percent in June but remains more than three times higher than in February 2020 – when it was at 3 percent and before COVID-19 struck.
Richards said that Queens has been hard-hit by the pandemic and that connecting talented residents with employment opportunities is crucial to the borough’s economic recovery.
“The unprecedented economic wounds inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic have been deep and enduring, especially for our communities of color hardest hit by the virus,” Richards said.
There are positions available with a range of employers, including Empire Vets, Forest Hills Financial Group and WestHab.
Workers are also needed at CAMBA, the Child Center of New York, Commonpoint Queens, the New York City Children’s Center and Queens Centers for Progress.
Job seekers who want to participate in the fair are asked to register by Feb. 17. To register click here.
Our Virtual #Queens Jobs Recruitment Fair series has returned for a second year! Queens’ recovery means connecting our unmatched talent with employment opportunities as quickly as possible, so join us on 2/18 and hear from 10 employers hiring now.
RSVP: https://t.co/pRxEurx65c pic.twitter.com/JITB7SWmxa
— Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (@QnsBPRichards) February 9, 2021