LANCASTER, CA — More than 1,000 job applicants converged on the Walther Center at West Coast Baptist College for the 17th annual Job Services Network Job Fair, turning the campus into a hub for hiring on Sept. 3. About 100 potential employers were on hand, and lines of job seekers wrapped around the building early in the four-hour event.
The crowd reflected the range of people looking for work in the Antelope Valley, from young applicants to older workers and from people dressed casually to others wearing formal business attire. Organizers said the event remains free and is intended to connect employers with people seeking jobs, training and other services.
A long-running partnership between the college and community agencies
Jeffrey R. Chessani, assistant director of financial aid at West Coast Baptist College, said the fair has been held at the college since the Walther Center opened in 2015. He said the school values its partnerships with community groups and sees the event as a way to help both residents and students find employment.
Chessani said many West Coast Baptist College students put themselves through school, and the fair gives them a chance to meet employers face to face. Jose Hernandez, career development program supervisor at the GAIN division at the Los Angeles County Office of Education, said the event is built around those community connections and has grown into a major fall gathering.
Employers ranged from retail to defense and public service
Hernandez said about 92 employers registered before the fair, with a few more added at the last minute. The busiest booths included Target, Antelope Valley Adult Education, Antelope Valley College, RIDE Coach and Bus, Future Transitions, the United States Postal Service and several education and workforce programs.
Other employers and recruiters represented law enforcement, manufacturing, support services, tax services, health care, fast food, entertainment and hospitality. Among the names drawing interest were Metro Life Program, Project Joy, Express, Partners for Potential, IBEW 11, Los Angeles Unified School District, the Antelope Valley Union School District, Crissair, Inc., Edwards Air Force Base’s 412th Maintenance Group and armed services recruiters.
Organizers say screening employers is a key part of the event
Hernandez said the fair is run by a wide partnership that includes the Los Angeles County Office of Education, JVS SoCal, the Department of Rehabilitation, Lost Angels, the Paving the Way Foundation, Valley Oasis, Project Joy, the Employment Development Department of California, America’s Job Center of California, Mental Health America of Los Angeles and the GAIN and START programs of the Department of Public Social Services.
He said the groups meet for months before the fair and coordinate outreach to employers. Organizers do not charge employers to participate, but they do screen them to make sure they are legitimate, have openings and are not commission-based jobs. Chessani said West Coast Baptist College also checks employers to help make sure people on the floor are hiring and paying workers.
Why the fair draws so many applicants each year
Hernandez said many employers come through referrals from agencies already involved in the job fair, while others respond to marketing or word of mouth. He also said a public service announcement on the radio helped bring in additional employers this year.
While the number of employers can change depending on hiring trends, Hernandez said some large defense contractors were not present this time because those industries move through cycles. Chessani said the event also includes community resources for residents who need help connecting to services beyond job openings.
Heat, water and volunteers helped the event run smoothly
The Sept. 3 fair came with some relief from the weather. Chessani said earlier job fairs have reached 100 degrees, but the temperature was 86 that day, and the building was air conditioned with plenty of water available for the crowd.
Lancaster City Councilmember Cedric White attended to greet participants and called the event a strong example of community support. He said the fair matters because screened employers are helping residents find work and support their families, not taking advantage of them.
The spring event is smaller, but the fall fair remains the signature gathering
Hernandez said the group also holds a spring event called Business Services Division, usually in February or March and at a different location. He said that fair is smaller, drawing about 400 to 500 people, compared with the fall event, which he described as the valley’s largest job fair.
The City of Lancaster is one of the main sponsors, along with Panera Bread and Coffee Bean, which provide donations. Chessani said West Coast Baptist College hosts only one job fair each year, and the setup takes substantial effort from volunteers because the school must work around church activities and ongoing auditorium remodeling.