Special job fair connects employers with disabled work force

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on June 2, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber The first Ability Employment job fair at the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association multicultural centre attracted a strong crowd of people seeking work Wednesday. Numerous businesses and community organizations had tables set up at the centre for the day-long job fair.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

A job fair aimed at landing workers with disabilities jobs had a strong turnout Wednesday and organizers are hoping to make it an annual affair.
Ability Employment, a downtown agency which is a division of the Ability Resource Association, staged the fair at the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association’s Multicultural Centre from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Eleven businesses and nine community organizations participated in the fair, said Linda Rawbon, an employer engagement specialist at Ability Employment.
This week is National Accessibility Week, said Rawbon, and “we want to highlight employers that know the value of hiring people with disabilities.
“And that means anything from depression and anxiety,” she said.
“Maybe somebody needs to change their occupation because of injury, let’s say a truck driver can’t sit and drive, and there’s so many invisible disabilities,” added Rawbon.
“We thought that post-COVID would be a wonderful time to help employers with their hiring needs and tap into a huge pool of skilled workers that are looking to get back to work,” said Rawbon.
A stigma still exists when it comes to hiring people with disabilities and “that’s part of what we want to continue to break through. There’s so many employers that probably have people with disabilities working and they don’t know it,” said Rawbon.
Working gives people a sense of purpose, she said.
Rawbon talked to all the employers and community organizations and “they’re so excited to have this job fair, to be out amongst people and already this morning, they’ve said to me ‘we cannot believe the number of people that have come through’ so we’re pretty excited to be able to help the community,” added Rawbon.
One employer had stacks of resumes dropped off before lunch, she said.
Ability Employment offers pre-employment and employment services to adults with disabilities or chronic mental health conditions and focuses on building relationships with employers to foster inclusive hiring in the city.

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