The Aboriginal Council of Lethbridge is hosting its 3rd annual aboriginal career and resource fair.
It’s opening the door for communication between aboriginal people in Lethbridge who are looking for work and potential employers.
“There are still those stereotypes out there and this gives aboriginals a chance to come out and have the chance to find a job and make those connections,” says organizer Jacinda Weiss.
People taking in the career fair find having all of the vendors in one place is less overwhelming, making the job hunt a bit easier.
“It’s better than going door to door looking for work, doing it that way you might catch someone on a bad day and then you miss the opportunity. Here it’s easy to just walk around and have a look and talk to people,” says Don McDougall.
He adds looking for work as an aboriginal can still be discouraging.
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Some places give off the impression they aren’t interested and that can be intimidating.
“You can walk in and just because you’re native they might not hire, tell you they don’t have anything while the guy beside you is filling out an application. That can be really discouraging.”
By coming to the aboriginal job fair- businesses are sending the message that those stereotypes will not be roadblocks for potential staff.
“We need to hire visible minorities- women and aboriginals- so fairs like this are great for us,. They take us right to the people we need and we can show them what all the job has to offer,” says recruitment officer Cst. P.J. Demuriak of the Lethbridge RCMP.
Organizers say events like these help break down walls for people who want to go to work and give them the confidence they need to pursue a career.
“Even though it is 2013, there are still those stereotypes, but the fact is we want to work – our young people want to work. They are educated and capable people and we want more people to see that. It’s better for the economy and our community,” says Weiss.
The career fair is staged by a number of organizations including the Aboriginal Opportunities Employment Centre that has helped employ over 800 aboriginal people in Lethbridge.
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