Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 61
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
(800) 654-4262

© 2024 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Annual job fair aimed at employing west Alabamians returns to Bessemer this year

Pixabay

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell invites seventh district residents to her annual job fair this week.

Prospective employees and employers may attend the job fair in-person for the first time in two years. The Bessemer Civic Center will host the event. It will be on Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Employers range from state departments to national businesses. State entities include Alabama Youth Services, Conservation and Natural Resources, Environmental Management, Labor, Human Resources and Corrections departments. Businesses include Regions Bank, AT&T, Dollar General, and Hyundai, among others.

Sewell posted a press release on her website detailing the whereabouts and list of employers attending the job fair on Nov. 2.

Sewell said she hopes the event will spark higher rates of employment.

“As a key hallmark of our mission to advance economic opportunity for the residents of the 7th District, I have continued to stand firm on my promise of bringing opportunities directly to the people,” Sewell said in a press release.

This comes as unemployment continues to hit Alabama’s western counties including the seventh district. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate in Alabama is 3.1% as of September.

The Alabama Department of Labor reports that all nine seventh district counties are above the state’s unemployment rate for September. The highest unemployment rates in Alabama’s seventh district include Dallas County with 7.2%, Perry County with 7.5%, and Lowndes County with 7.8%. The counties with the lowest unemployment rate are Choctaw County with 3.7% and Marengo County with 3.8%.

Last year’s annual job fair was held virtually for the first time due to the pandemic. Although the fair is in-person this year, masks are required for entry to the civic center. A negative Covid test or proof of vaccination are strongly encouraged. Residents should also dress professionally with their resumes ready.

Joshua LeBerte is a news intern for Alabama Public Radio.
News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.