More than 1,500 job seekers from around Warren County were connected with 50 employers through three summer job fairs organized this spring by Warren County Department of Workforce Development.
Students in grades 8-12 attended job fairs at Queensbury High School and Glens Falls High School on March 20th and April 11th respectively, while the Lake George Community Job Fair at Lake George Jr-Sr High School on April 17th drew both students and community members, as it was open to the general public.
Fifty local employers attended at least one job fair, representing a wide variety of businesses gearing up for summer. Many attended all three events to take job applications and offer on-the-spot job interviews.
This year’s hiring events built on the success of spring job fairs that Warren County Department of Workforce Development began offering in 2021. The first of 2024 was a March 20th job fair at Queensbury High School for students in grades 8-12.
In Glens Falls, the job fair held April 11th, was combined with a morning-long “career expo” that featured 27 local business representatives, employment experts and school staff members offering seminars on topics such as how to interview for a job, resume-building, work/life considerations, financial management, dressing for success and more.
The Glens Falls event also featured a keynote speaker in Glens Falls High Class of 2019 alumnus Sam Hogan, who talked about his path to founding Hirebird, an app/software program to help connect employers with staff.
Sam Hogan said: “It was an unbelievable feeling being able to come back and speak at my alma mater. Glens Falls was very good to me, and set me up on a path to success. I was more than happy to share a message that hopefully helps the kids that are in school now.”
Said Liza Ochsendorf, Warren County Director of Workforce Development: “We thank our community partners and school leaders for continuing to make these spring job fairs a great way to connect our students and employers. It’s important to make these connections early so that we can retain our students in Warren County as they become adults.”
Businesses that attended the hiring events in Queensbury and Glens Falls competed for the best displays at each of their fairs, and students voted on their favorites. Students who obtain jobs as a result of these fairs by the end of May will be entered into a raffle drawing for prizes.
Special thanks go to The Queensbury Hotel, Six Flags Great Escape, The Lake George Steamboat Company, Stewart’s Shops, The Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center, The Bullpen, Mikado and Minky Mink for donations of gift cards for prizes.
As local businesses gear up for the busy summer season, Warren County Department of Workforce Development will be organizing additional job fairs to help employers with their workforce needs. The department also promotes job openings at no charge, and employers can send their employment opportunities to ochsendorfL@warrencountyny.gov or online at thejoblink.org/contact-us/.
Learn more about the services the Department of Workforce Development offers here, or call them at their 333 Glen Street, Glens Falls office at 518-743-0925.