PORTLAND, Ore. — An upcoming youth job fair planned at the Oregon Convention Center will give teens and young adults in the Portland area a chance to connect with hiring managers from more than 60 different companies.
Among the young attendees will be 17-year-old Mekhi Rhone, who is currently learning how to wash dishes and prepare meals as an intern at the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center's kitchen. He said he's honing skills that he hopes will make him a standout at the job fair.
"They're important because they give teens and youth the advantage and a way to get out and reach out to the employer themselves," he said.
The company lineup at the fair will include the likes of Starbucks, Alaska Airlines and Timberline Lodge. The event is put on by Worksystems, a local workforce development board that helps teens and adults prepare for high paying jobs.
Barb Timper, Worksystems' youth services manager, said Portland is facing a lot of challenge with youth employment.
"Before the pandemic, Portland actually had the fourth highest youth unemployment rate for like-sized cities at 11%," she said.
At the height of the pandemic, youth unemployment rose to as much as 20 percent, she added.
Timper said this week's job fair is also geared towards BIPOC youth.
"For youth of color, the unemployment rate can be one-and-a-half to two times greater than the general population," Timper said.
Rhone said he's doing everything he can to land his next job. He said he's put in a lot of job applications, but hasn't had a lot of luck so far. He's hoping things will change once he attends the job fair.
"You also get to interview and meet with several businesses and partner with different jobs that are out of people's range," he said.
The job fair is 10am to 2pm on Thursday August 18th. More information is available at the fair's website.