12 Dec 60+ Jobs, Health Screenings, 40+ Businesses at LAVC for VEA Career Fair and Health Expo
Employers were looking for nurses, CAN’s, medical assistants, caregivers, coaches and trainers for disabled adults and much more at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) on April 17. The Valley Economic Alliance’s 2014 Career Fair and Health Expo drew a crowd, with exhibitors collecting resumes from visitors to the campus as well as students.
Some sponsor exhibits provided information and samples. Silver Sponsor Naked Juice gave visitors to their colorful truck a choice of juice drinks and blends to taste.
Bronze Sponsor Van Nuys/Los Angeles World Airports promoted it’s free Aviation Career Education (ACE) summer program. Airport Guide Dee Lewis said two week-long programs are open to 25 middle school and 25 high school students. The sessions run all day, lunch provided, and will introduce students to aviation management. “We visit Southwest Airlines, JPL, air traffic control centers, and go out to see Air Force One during the week,” Lewis said.
Cambrian Homecare’s recruiter Nhi Thai said that the company services children with disabilities, seniors, and workers injured on the job. It hires CNAs and LVNs, but also hires many caregivers who do not have nursing credentials. Thai said there was a lot of interest from the job seekers at the Fair and she had a folder full of resumes.
Across the way, New Horizons, a non-profit serving people with development disabilities, was seeking staff for departments including Residential Living, Community Living, and Supported Employment.
Tierra del Sol Foundation, based in Sunland, trains people with disabilities for paid or volunteer jobs, teaches them independent living skills, and provides job coaching. The organization educates clients in locations including LAVC, and places disabled adults in jobs such as aides at senior centers, car washers, or assistants with the Meals on Wheels program. Human Resources Manager Kevin Panet was busy at the event recruiting trainers and coaches to work with the foundation’s clients. “These are full time jobs, with benefits, that are ACA-compliant,” noted Panet.
Metro was busy collecting applications and resumes. HR Assistant Jenny Nguyen said that LAVC students had visited the table interested in bus driving jobs or internships. “Metro partners with LAVC and Bridge Source to train drivers, and we have a very big hiring drive for veterans.” Nguyen noted that Metro was named a 2014 California Employer Advisory CouncilVeterans Employer of the Year for its proactive stance in veteran hiring.
LegalShield’s Michele Wilson was on hand as an Executive Recruiter. “We are looking for entrepreneurial types who are interested in becoming sales representatives,” Wilson said. LegalShield also develops recruiters to attract full-time and part-time sales people.
Goodwill Southern California had lists of job opportunities for both its main office location and retail outlets. Business Service representatives were also signing people up for interviews Goodwill conducts for other employers. They were highlighting interviews to be conducted for Six Flags the next day.
Heavy Industrial Personnel’s Hector Ottoniel was signing up LAVC students training to be machinists. “We focus on skilled labor, mainly in the San Fernando Valley, but we cover all of LA County. Our focus is to help manufacturing and aerospace companies find the trained labor they need,” said Ottoniel. “We have machinists, quality control personnel, engineers, AutoCAD specialists, and shop supervisors in our database.”
LAVC’s Respiratory Therapy program had most of its students and interns in scrubs. Brandon Alayon and other interns were offering pulmonary function tests and distributing information on how to stop smoking. Alayon said there were 25 Valley College students in the program, which included hospital training and intern hours. His class will be graduating on June 9.
The Valley Economic Alliance also promoted its upcoming events, including the April 24th Spring Forward Mega Marketing Workshop on e-commerce and social media, and the May 31st Valley of the Stars Gala and Awards. TVEA and other exhibitor tables had bowls full of Silver Sponsor, Cliff Bar’s energy bars for visitors to sample.
Sponsors also included Southwest Airlines, Gold Sponsor; Valley Presbyterian Hospital, Bronze Sponsor; Costco Wholesale, Sherman Oaks Hospital, Providence Health and Services; Silver Sponsors and Business Life Magazine, Media Sponsor.
This was an interactive event, full of opportunities for visitors and students. The exhibitors were busy talking to job seekers and the networking energy was high. Attendees all went away with something, whether it was a resume, a job tip, ideas for other career areas to explore, or service and education opportunities.