Grossmont College will host its first job fair specifically for refugees. Photo credit: Courtesy, Grossmont College
Grossmont College will host its inaugural Refugee Job Fair Tuesday with more than two dozen employers from a wide range of industries, including government and hospitality.
The event, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m., is designed to benefit a growing number of refugees settling in the region, but is open to all.
Among the employers registered to participate: 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 Refugee Job Fair will be held on the Main Quad, at 8800 Grossmont College Drive. Participants are asked to register online – they also must be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The event is being organized by the Grossmont College Career Center and Grossmont College Career & Technical Education in partnership with San Diego Workforce Partnership, the International Rescue Committee, San Diego Refugee Forum and Public Consulting Group.
“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.
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. In addition, the Grossmont College Career Center hosts weekly 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 through March.
Nearly 2,500 of those refugees came from Afghanistan. El Cajon, for instance, has among the highest concentrations of Iraqi refugees in the nation.