Plainfield Central held its first ever job fair on Thursday.
The Job Fair aimed to help students 16 or older to find part time jobs or “offer an opportunity for kids to practice their soft skills in a professional environment,” Julie Bortoli, school counselor and the main organizer said.
The school, in partnership with the Workforce Development Program of Will County hosted 21 businesses.
The event has been in the works for six months, since May when Bortoli reached out to the Workforce Center. Bortoli is “the driving force behind this event,” Jonathan Puklin, assistant principal and one of the fair’s organizers, said. “All of the counselors and Mrs. Kics also assisted in the planning and the day of the event.”
In all, over 600 students and around 50 community members attended. Community members were allowed to attend after school hours as an incentive for employers to come as “they wanted accessibility to adults in the area for daytime positions that students couldn’t do,” Bortoli said. “Men as old as in their 60s and as young as in their 20s attended.”
Student services meets next week to discuss how the fair went in order to decide if the job fair should happen continually. “I think it’s worth trying again,” Kevin Diaz-Albor, Junior, said.
“I hope the kids enjoyed it,” Bortoli said.
The students that attended seemed to really appreciate the fair. “It made me aware of more opportunities than I thought I had,” Diaz-Albor said.
“I wasn’t really looking to get a job when I went but I know there’s options now,” Aaron Bargewell, Junior, said.
