Some 90 local, Louisiana and national employers will participate in the LEDA Job Fair from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday at the Cajundome.
“The LEDA Job Fair is even more important this year given the job losses seen in the region due to the energy downturn,” Gregg Gothreaux, LEDA president and CEO, said in an issued statement.
“This job fair is part of ongoing efforts in the region to connect our displaced workers with companies who are hiring. The participating companies offer jobs ranging from entry level to experienced, from those needing little training to those requiring advanced degrees.”
Lafayette has lost about 8,300 oil and gas jobs since commodity prices plunged from more than $100 a barrel in 2014 to a low of $26 in February 2016. Crude oil was selling at $46.22 a barrel for Friday.
Loren Scott, LSU professor emeritus and a leading economist, suggests Lafayette’s Metropolitan Statistical Area may lose another 5,000 jobs in 2017 before prices rise to about $60 a barrel and the industry regains its strength in 2018.
The job fair will feature “job seeker” seminars. These include:
- Preparing for Different Types of Interviews, 10 a.m.
- How to Write a Competitive Resume that Yields Results, 11 a.m.
- How to Increase Odds of a Post Job Fair Interview, 1 p.m.
LEDA’s free Job Fair, Acadiana’s largest, is in its 22nd year. Ryan LaGrange, LEDA’s manager of workforce development, will serve at his 10th Tuesday.
LaGrange said more than 3,200 job seekers attended the job fair in 2016, when almost 100 companies attended. That record-setting turnout eclipsed the 3,000 who attended in 2009, job fair organizers said. Attendance is usually closer to 2,000; LaGrange expects 2,500 to attend this year.
He said there’s a good mix of jobs to discuss Tuesday. He said employers include healthcare companies; insurance and finance; government; manufacturing and retail. Two oil and gas companies will be there; there were none last year.
Job seekers can pre-register at Eventbrite with this link: ledajobfair2017.eventbrite.com.
To find additional job fairs in Louisiana, check laworks.net and click on “Job Fairs and Events.”