Connecting at Career Fairs

As the 2023-2024 academic year ends, so does the busy season for career fairs. Over the past few months, Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) has been keeping tabs on the many career events that have been happening across Oregon. After kicking off the season with the statewide NW Youth Careers Expo, OHF also represented the hospitality industry at a few more localized events. 

Coastal Career Fair: Florence, OR
On April 25, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation landed on the Oregon Coast to participate in the Florence Coastal Career Fair. There, we educated community members about the hospitality industry. However, OHF was not the only major player representing hospitality at this event. In addition to tabling alongside a few other hospitality businesses, we had the unique opportunity to sit in a room with these coastal restaurant and hotel operators to discuss their current workforce challenges. Among the topics we discussed was the affordable cost of living for employees, especially given the seasonal nature of the work in this region. Additionally, there was mention of a relatively new struggle to inspire younger generations to work. Many of us remember hospitality being our first introduction to the workforce, whether it be at an after-school or summer job. Anecdotally, the businesses we spoke to mentioned that young people in their communities don't have as much interest in the entry-level opportunities they have to offer. All these challenges are the current focuses of the many projects on the Foundation's docket. If any of these topics strike a chord, please use the contact information at the bottom of this post to get involved. 

Career Exploration Day and Job Fair: Tillamook, OR
At the previous event in Florence, we discussed the importance of inspiring youth to work in hospitality. A key part of addressing this call to action is getting involved in educational settings and student-directed career events. On May 15, OHF attended one of these events hosted by Tillamook Works. Businesses were asked to show students what a job in their field was like to an audience of grades 6-12 students. Among the students who approached the Foundation's booth with questions, many expressed their aspirations to work a summer hospitality job. For future events, this may present an opportunity for hospitality businesses looking to hire to attend a local event alongside OHF. 

Career Exploration Day: Seven Oak Middle School, Lebanon, OR
On May 31, Seven Oak Middle School invited businesses to bring career instruction directly to the classroom. As the Workforce Development Coordinator for ORLA, I got the opportunity to speak to students about my career in hospitality and use it as a tool to advocate for the essential job skills that one can learn by working in this field. Speaking at Seven Oak Middle School is one of my highlights from this career fair season. The students were interested and engaged, and it showed in the dialogues that we shared. 

Career Highlight Night- PK Park, Eugene, OR
Just because the career fair season is ending does not mean that community engagement opportunities are as well. This summer on Sunday, August 18, Lane Workforce Partnership, Collaborative EDO, and Workforce Oregon are partnering with the Eugene Emeralds to host an event that brings career education to the public. At PK Park, just before a baseball game, local employers will gather to increase their visibility and gain valuable connections. Learn more.

Want to learn more about how to get involved with our workforce development initiatives? Consider volunteering for guest speaking opportunities and job shadows, participate in job/career fairs, or offer experiential field trips. Contact Ella Sturdevant.