Register Now for the Milwaukee Manufacturing Career Expo

This is reprinted in its entirety from the April 29, 2012 Letters to the Editor section of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Expo connects jobs, workers
If you are looking for work, here’s a tip: Register now for the Milwaukee Manufacturing Career Expo on May 10 at the State Fair Exposition Center. If you’re a Milwaukee-area manufacturer with jobs to fill, you should register, too.

More than a job fair, the expo is open only to job seekers with a ticket and employers with openings. The state Department of Workforce Development and its partners, including the Milwaukee Urban League, are working to make it a success.

For job seekers, getting an admission ticket involves three easy steps:

1) If you haven’t already done so, register with the DWD online employment site.

2) Using “Job Seeker Tools,” create or update a résumé, then take an assessment survey. Save and print both for the final step, a one-on-one session with an employment specialist.

3) Check the schedule of sessions, and go to one. A specialist will review your materials and help you prepare for the expo.

After three years of roughly 145,000 in job losses, Wisconsin’s economy is improving. Employers are optimistic and hiring. Still, many people are unemployed or underemployed. The expo represents our best efforts to connect job seekers with employers and to address the skills gap.

Whether you’re a job seeker or manufacturer, registering today may well be one of your best decisions.

Reggie Newson
Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Madison

Ralph Hollmon
President and CEO, Milwaukee Urban League
Milwaukee