For Immediate Release
October 15, 2020
Contact: Gene Kennedy
Senior Public Information Specialist
gkennedy@rivco.org
(951) 203-0343
Virtual Employment Expo Provides Job Opportunities to Hundreds of Workers
Thousands of jobs were showcased at Riverside County’s first online job expo
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Ca.— More than 500 job seekers connected with dozens of prospective employers on Thursday (Oct. 15) during the 25th Annual Valley-Wide Employment Expo, which moved this year to an online platform to deter the spread of coronavirus.
Applicants who registered for free visited local businesses in digital booths, viewed available jobs and networked with some 45 employers. More than 2,500 job opportunities in the Coachella Valley and surrounding areas were offered.
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) was one of the participating employers. The statewide program pays in-home caregivers to support senior and disabled individuals. The Riverside County Public Authority has 1,000 IHSS positions open that it hoped to help fill during the day.
“We are expanding our registry as the need for in-home caregivers continues to soar, especially in communities with high needs such as the Coachella Valley”, said Eva Krottmayer, executive director of IHSS Public Authority.
Riverside County has a growing aging population with approximately 33,000 caregivers serving more than 39,200 seniors and dependent adults.
Krottmayer says even those unable to attend the job expo can get more information at RiversideIHSS.org and apply by calling 888-960-4477.
Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, congratulated the Valley-Wide Employment Expo on its 25th anniversary and praised employers and job seekers for their participation.
“It is encouraging to see businesses hiring and providing hope to all those whose jobs have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” Perez said. “The pandemic has created a recession, a slowdown. But we hope that economists are correct and this will be a transitory recession and not long lasting.”
Riverside County has lost 100,500 jobs since the pandemic hit in March. Unemployment countywide is 11.2%, while one in five workers in some communities is looking for work.
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