Afghan and Ukrainian refugees meet for job fair in Aurora
It's no secret that a lot of employers are looking for people to work for them. Well, it just so happens that a lot of recent refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine are looking for work. Both sides met at the Community College of Aurora on Saturday to get down to business.
One of those job seekers was Sediqa. Just one month ago she moved to the United States, and she says so far things are going well.
The only thing she was missing was a job to provide for herself. That's why she attended a Hiring Fair for Newcomers hosted by Welcome.us. It was more than just booths and handshakes.
They had a resume workshop with translators available so job seekers could learn to sell themselves and their skills. After that they met with employers who were hiring on the spot.
"It was amazing," says Sediqa. "Here are those who need jobs, and those who need employees, all of them."
It was also a boon for employers who were able to find workers at a time when they are in short supply
"It's absolutely amazing, and at this event, we've hired 20 right now and we're looking to hire more than 35," said Jesse Soderberg, who was at the fair hiring for Extended Stay America.
Bringing these folks together with employers connects them with jobs they may not have even been aware were available.
"Being able to talk face to face with recruiters, with managers and with hiring leaders is very beneficial. It's different than just looking online for a job and clicking a button to apply and never knowing who's going to read it," said Maytham Alshadood the director of Ecosystem Partnerships with welcome.us.
It was a successful afternoon for many, including Sediqa who left with an opportunity to chase her American dream.
"Yeah, I got work as a receptionist," she said.
If you know a recent refugee that needs a job, but you couldn't make it out to this job fair, you can head to welcome.us. They post openings there.
