A pair of upcoming job fairs – one in Oliver and the other in Osoyoos – are aiming to connect South Okanagan job seekers to some of the region’s biggest employers.

Open Door Group’s annual spring job fairs will take place in late March and early April, and Melanie Guza, the organization’s program manager, says this year they will be “even bigger and better” than before.

Guza has enlisted many of the region’s biggest hirers for the job fairs, expanding them far beyond their traditional scope.

Before, she explained, the spring job fairs focused on the tourism and hospitality industry.

Last year, for example, about seven or eight employers in the tourism industry saw about 50 job seekers.

This year, she said, “it’s the whole gamut,” with major employers from all corners of the job market, from the Watermark Beach Resort and Walnut Beach Resort (both usually look to hire between 80-100 people in a season) to Fortis BC, the RCMP, Greyback Construction and even the soon-to-open Okanagan corrections centre.

“We definitely know that this year’s going to be a lot bigger,” Guza said.

On top of that, Open Door Group has partnered with another of the region’s biggest employers, the Osoyoos Indian Band, which will host the fairs as well as take part as a potential employer.

Guza said the fairs are a great opportunity for both employers and potential employees, connecting both groups to each other, as well as providing important networking opportunities for job seekers.

“It’s important as well, you’re networking with other people, you’re talking to other job seekers, and sometimes people will come out of there with information they didn’t even know, or they’ll find out about a business they weren’t even aware of. It’s just a good way to find out what’s available, and get a better sense of the labour market,” she said.

She pointed out that employers have been known to hire new employees from the fairs, sometimes conducting on-the-spot interviews and scheduling follow-up meeting with people they meet.

With that in mind, she said job seekers should come to the fairs prepared for anything.

“When job seekers come in I would encourage them to be prepared; have a resume in hand, a cover letter, addressed appropriately,” she said. “Best case scenario you’re leaving with a job.”

The first of the two spring job fairs will take place in Oliver at the Sen’Pok’Chin School March 30.

The second will be in Osoyoos April 14 at Spirit Ridge Resort.

Both will run from 1-6 p.m.

TREVOR NICHOLS

Regional Reporter