More than 100 businesses in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties will be at a regional job fair in Pewaukee on Aug. 9. in search of workers to fill more than 1,000 open jobs.
Solid economic indicators and major retail and residential developments planned for Bluemound Road in Brookfield have led to a boon of open positions at local businesses as local, state and national unemployment rates continue to fall.
An economic trends report released Thursday by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce showed accelerated nonfarm job growth in the Milwaukee metro area in June. The state added 10,900 private sector jobs that month.
The sate’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was at 4.2 percent in June. The seasonally un-adjusted Milwaukee metro area unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent in June, down from 5.4 percent one year ago.
“What we have been hearing from our members is that it’s a really tight job market and it’s getting harder and harder to find people,” said Brookfield Chamber of Commerce President Carol White. “There’s pretty much nowhere you can go where you don’t see ‘now hiring’ signs. That coupled with what’s coming down the pipeline on Bluemound Road, (we thought) if we could coordinate a job fair this would be wonderful for businesses who are looking for a workforce and people who are seeking employment.”
The job fair is being organized by the Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, ResCare Workforce Solutions and the Hartland Chamber of Commerce. It will be held at Country Springs Hotel at 2810 Golf Road from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
White said free shuttle buses will be available to pick up attendees from the Milwaukee County Transit System bus stop at Brookfield Square and bring them to the job fair . The shuttles will run every half hour starting at noon. The last shuttle will leave Country Springs Hotel at 4:30 p.m.
A free shuttle will also pick up attendees from the Workforce Development Center on the Waukesha County Technical College Campus at 892 Main St. every half hour starting at 12:30 p.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Alderman Russell Stamper encouraged Milwaukee residents to attend the fair, which will include jobs available in several industries including retail, hospitality, warehouse, food service and health care.
“If you are seeking employment or interested in looking for a new job, please make a point of attending this job fair on August 9th,” Stamper said in a statement released Thursday.
A list of jobs available at each company attending the job fair is on the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce website.
An increasing number of job fairs are being held in southeastern Wisconsin as the labor market continues to tighten. At least 100 companies are planning to participate in The Workforce Development Center’s Washington and Ozaukee county job fair, set for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 17. Kohler Co. held a job fair on Tuesday in hopes of filling nearly 150 job openings.
