*NEWS* JOB RECRUITMENT FAIR IN PANDEMIC EPICENTER TO CONNECT JOB SEEKERS

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

(April 17, 2020 at 10:54am)

QUEENS, NY – Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee, the Council for Airport Opportunity, the New York State Police Department, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Workforce1 today announced an upcoming “Queens Virtual Recruitment Fair” to connect job seekers in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic to employment opportunities available now in essential industries.

The hiring push comes on the heels of record high unemployment insurance claims in recent weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a toll of more than 1.2 million claims filed in New York State and 22 million nationwide.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is devastating the workforce and deepening its toll on frontline and essential workers,” said Borough President LEE. “Some industries, however, especially on the frontlines, are still hiring. This is a localized effort here in the epicenter of the pandemic, aiming to match people to immediate and vital opportunities, and to help stem the tide of this unprecedented public health and economic crisis. Although it may seem like a mere drop in an ocean, that drop can make all the difference for entire families and communities. In this race against time, our trajectory depends entirely on not just what we do, but when we do it.  We are part of a greater whole, and every single effort counts.”

The Queens Virtual Recruitment Fair will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM using the video conferencing application WebEx. Hundreds of essential service positions are available across more than 70 employers, including the New York State Police Department, NYC Health + Hospitals, FreshDirect, AT&T, MetroPlus, Family Dollar and Amazon.

Prospective applicants will hear brief presentations from and/or about employers hiring now in a variety of essential service fields including healthcare, food service, retail, security and transportation. Employers interested in featuring their available job opportunities during the Recruitment Fair can email [email protected] with the subject heading “Recruitment Fair”.

A live stream of the Recruitment Fair will be available at www.queensbp.org/recruitmentfair.

Prospective applicants interested in participating via WebEx, RSVP via www.queensbp.org/RSVP

“During this extremely difficult time, the Council for Airport Opportunity will continue to be a resource to the Queens community, said Council for Airport Opportunity Executive Director ANDREW CAMPBELL. “CAO is currently working with several airport employers to fill critical roles to keep our region moving. We are honored to partner with the Queens Borough President to support Queens families as they navigate this unprecedented period.”

“We are happy to partner with the Office of the Queens Borough President to bring these opportunities and help our fellow New Yorkers obtain a great career with excellent benefits that serves the community,” said New York State Police Department Troop NYC Recruitment Officer AMANDA GARCIA.

“The Queens Chamber is honored to be part of Borough President Sharon Lee’s Queens Virtual Recruitment Fair,” said Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO TOM GRECH. “We applaud her work in this area and we look forward to fully supporting her efforts by engaging our entire membership.”

***PLEASE INCLUDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR***

WHAT:          Queens Virtual Recruitment Fair

WHEN:          Wednesday, April 22, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM

WHERE:       Live stream www.queensbp.org/recruitmentfair

Prospective applicants interested in participating via WebEx, RSVP via www.queensbp.org/rsvp

Employers interested in featuring their available job opportunities can email [email protected] with the subject heading “Recruitment Fair”.

Follow the Office of the Queens Borough President via @QueensBP2020 on Twitter and Facebook