A2Y Chamber and West Washtenaw Business Association host job fair Wednesday at WCC

By Ben Freed Business Reporter

Posted on Tue, Oct 16, 2012 : 5:43 a.m.

Unemployment rates well below state-wide and national averages haven’t stopped job fairs from popping up across Washtenaw County. The next fair, co-hosted by the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce and the West Washtenaw Business Association will be Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Washtenaw Community College.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

“I was meeting new members of the chamber, and this was a common theme why they joined,” Kate Henson, director of programs at the LEAD Institute, said.

“Not only were they looking for exposure, but they were hoping the chamber would help them find people because they had positions they were looking to fill.”

Henson serves on the chamber’s ambassador committee that helps connect established businesses with emerging businesses and new members. She said the fair will be an opportunity for chamber members and non-members alike to recruit new employees. It's also an opportunity for the chamber to work more closely with the West Washtenaw Business Association, who hosted a candidate forum Oct. 10 at Weber's that drew a range of state and local candidates, including both Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, and his opponent Cynthia Kallgren.

There is a wide variety of companies signed up for the fair. According to a release, participating companies include Michigan Ladder, Northwestern Mutual, Select Ride, Quantum Signal, and the Zingerman’s company of businesses. Henson said the companies are hiring for part-time, full-time, and temporary positions and that some jobs are lower entry level while others require higher education.

The fair will be in the Morris J. Lawrence Building on WCC’s campus and Henson expects about 150 people to show up looking for work. Admission and parking are free, and participants are advised to bring multiple copies of their resumes. She has reached out to the Eastern Michigan Echo and the Washtenaw Voice as well as attempting to get the word out via Facebook and Twitter.