Careers de Mayo 2023
On May 24th, the National Able Network and Illinois Department of Employment Security hosted the fifth annual Careers de Mayo event at the Near West American Job Center in Pilsen! Featuring a career fair with support and referral opportunities for attendees, Careers de Mayo helps connect job seekers with relevant community resources and employers in a collaborative and celebratory space.
Dozens of local employers, government offices, and community-based organizations tabled at the event. Local vendors provided refreshments, event organizers gave out raffle prizes, and the event lasted 4 hours with hundreds of attendees.
Gabriel Perez, scaleLIT’s Career Pathways Navigator at the Pilsen AJC, shared the following insights on the event: “I found the experience an excellent opportunity for our shared job seeker and workforce partner communities to come together and demonstrate how well our workforce ecosystem collaborates. It is an opportunity to not only provide direct linkage to various job opportunities but also showcase our services and programs.”
Perez also shared how such events complement the ongoing work that the Cook County Workforce Partnership is already doing in the American Job Centers. “It is wonderful to be able to walk people over to an exhibitor table and do a walk-in referral. I not only get to introduce someone to an opportunity they might not have been aware of but also directly link them to a key person in that field of service or opportunity. Working closely with my workforce partners is a wonderful way to collaborate but better yet a wonderful way to celebrate together.”
The scaleLIT navigator team staffed a table during the event, connecting job seekers to literacy and employment resources that fit their unique career goals. Additionally, event staffers shared a meal together to further connect resources and receive updates on the fantastic work being done by many community organizations. The scaleLIT team was also able to connect with many of our member organizations that are providing support to job seekers all across Chicago, Illinois, and beyond.
