Valley Wide Employment Expo helps to lower unemployment rate
The unemployment rate nationwide is the lowest it’s ever been in seven years, dropping to 5.1 percent in August.
Despite the positive employment outlook, there are still many people looking for jobs here in our valley.
The annual Valley Wide Employment Expo wrapped up Thursday afternoon.
Peter and Alexis Valenzuela lined up early to look for potential jobs.
Peter said he’s not going to be too picky.
“At the moment anything. I’ve got a wife and kids, try to support a family,” Peter Valenzuela said.
They’re part of hundreds of candidates seeking more than 1,400 positions offered by 86 employers across the valley.
Nationwide employers added fewer jobs than forecast in August — 173,000.
But there doesn’t seem to be a shortage here.
“We have maybe fewer job seekers, however they are more qualified candidates for these positions,” said marketing specialist Cindy Davis.
As he makes his way through the crowd of job seekers, Peter Valenzuela sets his sights on something in the auto industry.
“I wanted to find something in the auto business and I found three of them,” Valenzuela said.
He’s in luck — Ford said they want to hire sales reps immediately.
“We’re following through the process with them to hire them because there are some definite good candidates in there,” said Gilbert Alvarez, who works for Ford.
In the past Ford successfully hired employees from this expo.
After filling out numerous applications Peter Valenzuela said he’s hoping to snag one of those sales positions.
“I have to go to after this and turn in the application and talk to a sales manager. I feel pretty confident,” Peter Valenzuela said.
With three kids to take care of a job is essential to the Valenzuelas.
“Money is always an issue and we have kids and that’s where all the money goes but my focus is in school, so I can get a better job for my family. And my husband wants to work two jobs so that he can provide for the family and that’s what we gotta do,” Alexis Valenzuela said.
