The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that, in 2015, only 17.5% of people with a disability were employed. These dismal demographics underscore the need for Abilities Expo’s newest feature: The Abilities Job Fair. This much-needed career event will take place for ONE DAY ONLY on Friday, March 24, 2017, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Los Angeles Convention Center right on the Expo show floor.
The first annual Abilities Job Fair is sponsored by the City of Los Angeles Department on Disability (DOD), the Workforce Development Board City of Los Angele (WDB) , City of Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department (EWDD) and Los Angeles County Workforce Development Aging & Community Service (WDACS) .
“The Department on Disability is overjoyed to work with the City of Los Angeles Economic Workforce Development Department (EWDD), Workforce Development Board (WDB) and County of Los Angeles Workforce Development Aging and Community Services to address the vital need for the disabilities community across this great city,” said Stephen David Simon, Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department on Disability.
Not only will nearly 30 forward-thinking organizations be looking to fill their ranks with talented professionals from the disability community, but Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will also drop by to wish the jobseekers well.
Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities Abound
Companies participating in the Abilities Job Fair are recruiting entry level to experienced candidates for a wide-range of positions. Career fair attendees will find openings in accounting, engineering, administrative, management, IT, finance, healthcare, human resources, customer service, data entry, clerical, custodial, industrial, security and more.
Will your dream job be one of the following exciting career opportunities?
| Company | Job Categories |
| All City Management services Inc. | Management Services |
| Allied Universal | Administrative/Receptionist, Government Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Management, National Accounts, Security Management, Security Officer |
| Bank of America | Customer Service |
| City of Los Angeles Department on Aging-Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) | SCSEP provides an opportunity for unemployed seniors to return to the competitive job market through work experience and job training programs. SCSEP provides subsidized, temporary, part-time, community service work-based training for low-income persons age 55 or older who are unemployed and trying to re-enter the job market. |
| City of Los Angeles Personnel | Administrative, 911 Telecomunications, Accounting and Finance, Agriculture, Airports, Animal Services, Clerical and Data Entry, Facility Management, Fleet Services, Grounds and Landscaping, Health Services, IT and Computers, Law Enforcement, Medical and Nursing, Parks and Recreation, Public Health, Public Relations, Public Safety, Risk Management, Sanitation, Security, Urbam Forestry, Utilities, Vehicle Maintenance, Wastewater, Water Agency, Water Treatment and much more |
| Coalition for Responsible Community Development/Vernon-Central/LATTC WorkSource Center | Administrative, Telecomunications, Accounting and Finance, Agriculture, Clerical and Data Entry, Facility Management, Fleet Services, Grounds and Landscaping, Health Services, IT and Computers, Medical and Nursing, Public Relations, Risk Management, Security, Utilities, Vehicle Maintenance |
| County of Los Angeles Department of Human Resources | Administrative, 911 Telecomunications, Accounting and Finance, Agriculture, Airports, Animal Services, Clerical and Data Entry, Facility Management, Fleet Services, Grounds and Landscaping, Health Services, IT and Computers, Law Enforcement, Medical and Nursing, Parks and Recreation, Public Health, Public Relations, Public Safety, Risk Management, Sanitation, Security, Urbam Forestry, Utilities, Vehicle Maintenance, Wastewater, Water Agency, Water Treatment and much more |
| Dedicated Building Services | Various |
| Designated Exceptional Services for Independence | Social Services Facilitators and Mentors |
| Diverse Business Solutions | Light Industrial |
| Dytran Instruments | Sales, Shipping, Personnel, Marketing, Quality Assurance, |
| Fed Ex | Multiple |
| Goodwill Central San Gabriel Valley | Ticket to Work Program |
| Goodwill Southern California | Ticket to Work Program |
| Hawker Pacific Aerospace | A & P Mechanic, Administrative, Customer Service, Finance , Inspection, Machinist, Painting, Plating, Production Control, Quality Assurance and Others |
| Home Depot | Various |
| Jewish Vocational Services Los Angeles | Various |
| Kelly Services/USC | Custodian |
| LA County Veterans Employment (Goodwill Southern California) | Various |
| Marvin Engineering Co., Inc. | Clerical, Engineers, Programer/Operator, Facilities |
| North American Staffing Group | Administrative / Clerical |
| Nova Management | Various |
| Pride Industries City of Commerce site | Various |
| Pride Industries, El Segundo | Non Profit- Mentorship and Job Training |
| Professional Child Development Associates | Cooks, Dishwasher, Equipment Assembler, Operations, Compliance and Risk Management |
| Securitas | Various |
| UCLA-School of Medicine | Various |
| WAYS Home Care and Health Agency, LLC | Nursing |
| Wells Fargo | Customer Service, Banking |
Résumé and Interview Training Available Onsite
The Abilities Job Fair is a one-stop shop designed to provide you with the necessary tools for a successful job search.
Does your résumé need a little polish to better highlight your skills and qualifications? The WDB staff will work with you to ensure your professional accomplishments and proficiencies leap from the page. Once your résumé is recruiter-ready, a print-out can be provided.
But what about the dreaded interview process? Though it can cause anxiety among the most experienced professionals, it doesn’t have to. Interviewing experts onsite will work one-on-one with attendees, arming them with tips and tricks prepare them for a masterful interview performance.
WDACS representatives will be on hand to offer assistance to anyone who is unsure where their skills would best place them. In addition, CART and American Sign Language Interpretation service will be available for career fair attendees who require them.
Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Officials Weigh in on Disability Employment
At approximately 12:30 pm, Mayor Garcetti will offer remarks on the Abilities Job Fair and the benefits of recruiting talent from the disability community. He will also introduce EWDD General Manager Jan Perry, DOD Executive Director Stephen David Simon and Vice Chair and Director of the Paralympic Committee Candace Cable, who will all comment on the issue of disability employment and the actions of their respective organizations to improve the status quo.
A veteran Paralympian and pioneer in wheelchair racing, Candace Cable has brought home the gold for Team USA nine times, and medaled another 12 times in her athletic career. Her committee is bidding to bring the Paralympic Games to Los Angeles in 2024.
