Grossmont hosting Refugee Job Fair

 

Grossmont College will host an inaugural Refugee Job Fair on May 10 with more than two dozen employers from a wide range of industries. The event is designed to benefit a growing number of refugees settling in the region, and is open to all.

          Among the employers registered to participate are the Cajon Valley Union School District, Sycuan Casino Resort, ConAm Management, Manpower San Diego, Amazon, San Ysidro Health, Logan Heights Community Development Corporation, Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley and Goodwill Industries. The event is being organized by the Grossmont College Career Center and Grossmont College Career & Technical Education in partnership with the San Diego Workforce Partnership, International Rescue Committee, San Diego Refugee Forum, and Public Consulting Group.

          The event is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

          “This is a wonderful opportunity to build awareness for our partnered employers and assist underserved participants with in-demand jobs,” said Career Services Supervisor Renee Nasori. “We are having a huge impact helping individuals achieve their dreams and reach their career aspirations.”

          The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is among East County’s largest employers and is the area’s largest provider of higher education and job training. A 2021 economic impact report by labor market analytics firm Emsi found that the district adds $1.1 billion to the San Diego County economy each year. The district also provides a dependable stream of skilled employees to the area’s workforce and dramatically boosts the lifetime earnings of its graduates. Grossmont College’s Career Center (https://www.grossmont.edu/careercenter) hosts weekly career workshops both on campus and via remote platforms.

          The need to help refugees is profound. The County of San Diego’s Office of Refugee Resettlement reported that more than 3,100 refugees arrived in the region from October 2021 through March 2022. Nearly 2,500 of those refugees came from Afghanistan. El Cajon has among the highest concentrations of Iraqi refugees in the nation.

          The Refugee Job Fair will be held at Grossmont College’s Main Quad, located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon, 92020. Participants are asked to preregister, and must be vaccinated against COVID-19. Further information is available by visiting the Grossmont College Career Center webpage via https://www.grossmont.edu and typing “Career Center” in the search bar.

          Grossmont College and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District provide San Diego’s East County with high-quality, affordable college education, job and career training and retraining, and job creation, with campus facilities that meet the needs of today's college students, returning veterans, and employers seeking qualified applicants. As East County, the state and nation recover from COVID-19, the district is planning ahead to provide more flexible, up-to-date campus facilities and technology to meet existing and emerging needs and demands.