DAVENPORT, Iowa — IowaWORKS is teaming up with the Iowa National Guard to get the word out about job openings in the Quad Cities region.
The two groups are holding a career fair Tuesday, April 18 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. It will be at the Iowa National Guard, Davenport Armory, located at 5300 W Kimberly Rd, Davenport, IA.
More than 30 employers from around the QCA will be there. Organizers say there will be lots of different job opportunities, ranging from law enforcement to local restaurants. They said this is the first time IowaWORKS is collaborating with the Iowa National Guard to hold this fair.
"That's a huge thing for people right now is networking," Career Planner for IowaWORKS James Stout said. "So if you look to the employer, you know, they're gonna let you know what they're looking for. But not only that, you're gonna let the employers know what your skill set is."
Organizers said this fair is especially important because of the need for military personnel. A report from Iowa Capital Dispatch shows the Iowa National Guard is still struggling to recruit in the wake of the pandemic. The article reports the guard is operating at 98% right now, down 4% from two years ago. Members of the Iowa National Guard will be at the fair to talk about opportunities.
"A lot of times we'll see Guard members that are in employment, but they may be underemployed," Stout said. "It's just one of those examples. But for IowaWORKS, it's our opportunity to provide additional services, like workshops and stuff like that, to help prepare, you know, soldiers or family members, friends, family, you know, how to get back into the workforce."
Organizers of the fair said there are 69,000 job openings across the state of Iowa right now. They said some of the employers at the fair are looking to fill over 300 jobs right now.
Organizers encourage people to dress for the occasion (like dressing for an interview) and bring a resume. The career fair is free and open to everyone.