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Dozens of Manitobans, including newcomers to Canada, polished up their resumes ahead of an annual job fair held as part of Black History Month this weekend.
The job seekers came to Winnipeg’s Holy Eucharist Parish Centre Saturday for Black History Manitoba’s 24th annual employment fair, where they got to meet directly with 12 different exhibitors to discuss opportunities, network and get some job-hunting tips.
Justin McKay, president of the Afro-Caribbean Association of Manitoba, said while a lot of people look for jobs online these days, there’s still a space to meet and “put a face to the opportunities.”
“There are a lot of people that have issues finding employment,” said McKay.
“Some people just need a change, like something different they want to do with their life. So it’s important to get the community together to see what’s out there, connect, network.”
The potential employers at this year’s event included representatives from government, police and the Canadian Armed Forces. There were also organizations offering newcomers advice on how to search for jobs and reviewing resumes, among other services.
“It can be intimidating, especially in the age of being online,” McKay said. “A lot of people don’t have that experience of talking to somebody face to face. We want to help break that barrier.”
Dr. Tracey-Ann Spence-Golaub, a physician from Jamaica, was at the career fair with her husband, Oral Golaub, and their children. (Travis Golby/CBC)
Dr. Tracey-Ann Spence-Golaub, a physician from Jamaica, came to the fair with her husband, Oral Golaub, and their children. Spence-Golaub said she’s currently finishing post-graduate studies, but that she’ll be looking for opportunities in the health services field soon.
“Coming from where I’m from, we are more accustomed to having that direct, face-to-face interaction versus having a automated-system going through your resume,” she said.
“I think it’s important to be able to meet people, speak with them directly so they can see who you are.”
Kirk Linton, also from Jamaica, agrees.
‘Crucial’ event for newcomers
“I used to work with the Statistical Institute of Jamaica … [which] makes you interact with people a lot,” he said.
Linton has been job hunting for less than a month, but has already had a couple of interviews and is waiting to get some calls back. The fair was a good chance to find a variety of opportunities in different fields, he said.
Kirk Linton holds up his resume. Linton said the fair was a good way to see what sort of opportunities are out there in a variety of different fields. (Travis Golby/CBC)
“You can’t sit down and expect jobs to come to you,” he said.
“I think this is great because at least you can meet some of the companies, see exactly what they’re offering and get a better understanding of what you’re going into.”
Spence-Golaub, who has been living in Winnipeg for just over two years, said events like Saturday’s are “crucial,” particularly for newcomers who may not be used to how the job market works in Canada.
They “make it easier,” she said. “It gets us seen, basically.”
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.