The September 11th attack
Job fair will offer work alternatives
Advertiser Staff
Oahu Work Links, a federally financed job development center, will organize a job fair with financial, career and business counseling services next Saturday at the Hawai'i Convention Center in response to the work force crisis on O'ahu.
More than 11,000 people, mostly employed in tourism or retail, have lost their jobs or had their work hours cut in Hawai'i since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks unnerved travelers and hurt the state's primary industry.
At the event next Saturday will be 40 employers giving on-site interviews to fill hundreds of positions, according to organizers, as well as higher-learning institutions offering job training, and counselors talking about debt reduction, stress and other issues.
There also will be workshops for business owners and job seekers. For businesses, topics include loans, training subsidies and tax incentives. For applicants, topics include interviewing skills, resume writing and obtaining benefits.
"We have mobilized the services and we have opened the channels to fast-track access to key resources that will directly assist those struggling with layoffs," said Mayor Jeremy Harris.
The Oahu Workforce Investment Board, which operates Oahu Work Links, was created a year ago with a $13 million federal appropriation through the 1998 Workforce Investment Act. The program is a partnership of city and state agencies with local businesses.
Linda Gilchrist, board chairwoman, said the program has more than $3 million available for employment-related training.
The Oct. 20 event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the rooftop garden/ballroom and third-floor meeting rooms and theaters.
The board also operates five employment centers:
• 1505 Dillingham Blvd., 843-0733
• 830 Punchbowl St., Room 112, 586-8700
• 45-1141 Kamehameha Highway, Kane'ohe, 233-3700
• Makalapa Community Center, 99-102 Kalaloa St., 488-5630
• Waialua Shopping Center, 67-292 Goodale Ave., 637-6508
