A job fair organized by several members of Congress in Texas drew thousands to the Irving Convention Center Monday.
The North Texas Job Fair was first launched in 2021 with 250 employers who had 7,000 openings. This year's event had 375 businesses with 15,000 openings.
"The Texas economy is the envy of the rest of the nation with all of our job growth," says Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne, a Republican who previously served as mayor of Irving.
She worked with Roger Williams, another Republican, and Marc Veasey, a Democrat, to set up the event.
"I can't think of anything better to do in a bipartisan manner than connect people for good-paying jobs in North Texas," Veasey says. "As the Metroplex continues to grow, and if you look at the projections, it isn't going to stop. People are going to need jobs, they are going to need places to live. Of course, to be able to afford that, you need a good career."
"This is a growing, burgeoning area of opportunity and hope," Van Duyne says. "We've got so many different businesses here representing nearly every industry imaginable."
Businesses were grouped by industry. Van Duyne says that could help job seekers find an area that would appeal to them but also give companies a chance to get to know each other and see where they might collaborate.
Also at the job fair were 20 organizations that offered services and classes including ten that work with veterans.
"Our veterans services organizations have told us the most meaningful thing they need to help our brave veterans reconnect at home is job opportunities," Van Duyne says.
"I've been considering getting some kind of certification," one woman said who had previously worked in childhood development but was looking at a change to interior design. "I actually talked to someone at Workforce Dallas to see what might be available for me."
A man who had recently moved from California said he came to see what kinds of industries he might be able to work for.
"I didn't know it was going to be this big of an event. I didn't know there would be 300 companies here," he says.
He says he had previously worked in telecommunications, so he was focusing on AT&T, Verizon or Spectrum.
"They're just names until I go to each table and see what they do and what they need," he says.
Job seekers with kids could also pick up free backpacks, school supplies and books.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Tell your Smart Speaker to "PLAY 1080 KRLD"
Sign Up to receive our KRLD Insider Newsletter for more news