Career Expo a Success

Hundreds gain job advice to landing the perfect job

Nearly 300 Oswego County residents joined Senator Patty Ritchie at her first-ever Career and Resource Expo that linked employers and job-counseling agencies with individuals looking for a job, a new career, or just seeking to boost their job-search skills.

Senator Ritchie’s Career and Resource Expo, held Thursday at the Fulton War Memorial, was jointly sponsored by Fulton Mayor Ron Woodward, United Way of Oswego County, SUNY Oswego’s Business Development Center, the Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce and Workforce New York.

The free event brought together more than 50 employers and agencies from across Central New York, who accepted resumes and applications, and provided career advice, educational opportunities and assistance to help Oswego County residents find jobs and build rewarding careers.

The event was the first of its kind in Oswego County, which suffers from above-average unemployment.

"Oswego County and Central New York are blessed with some of the hardest working men and women in all of Upstate New York, but our current economic crisis has taken its toll on our communities and the workforce,” Senator Ritchie said.

“My Career and Resource Expo was designed to help Central New York workers take advantage of the economic recovery that’s just beginning to take hold in our community, join workers and prospective employers and help hone job-seekers’ skills,” Senator Ritchie said.

Thursday's event brought included recent college graduates, people reentering the workforce, students graduating this spring from high school and others interested in finding new careers and opportunities.

The Expo provided help for people who needed to polish up their resumes, brush up their job interviewing skills or who wanted information on starting their own business.

The success of Thursday’s event led Senator Ritchie to say she was exploring the possibility of hosting similar events in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties.

Senator Ritchie thanked the participating companies and organizations who made the Oswego event a success, and said she would follow up to identify ways to improve and make the career fair an annual event for Oswego County.