Holmes County Job Expo connects students and job seekers with local employers

Growing into adulthood and finding gainful employment is what nearly every person seeks in life, and the upcoming 2025 Fall Holmes County Job Expo may provide a steppingstone to the future for those who take the time to connect with dozens of area company representatives.

The event welcomes all juniors and seniors from East and West Holmes schools and will take place Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon at Harvest Ridge Event Center while the public forum will take place from noon to 2 p.m.

The upcoming job fair offers an opportunity for job seekers to connect with employers from a range of industries. Around 40 businesses and organizations will be represented at the job fair. Participants will have the chance to learn about current openings, network with company representatives and gain insight into the hiring process. Whether someone is in high school looking for part-time work or a career after graduation, a recent college graduate seeking employment, or someone looking for a new career opportunity, this event may be a good place to start.

According to Lisa Vansickle, OhioMeansJobs Holmes County program manager, the job fair is an event where employers and job seekers come together to discuss employment opportunities, share information and make professional connections.

“The hope is to create engagement between employers and those seeking employment, whether they are in high school or are adults looking for a new challenge,” Vansickle said.

In addition to connecting job seekers with potential hiring partners, Nicole Lepley, OhioMeansJobs eligibility/referral specialist, will available both prior to and at the event to help job seekers develop and perfect résumé writing, interview skills and career planning.

Lepley said while the demand for employees in the workforce has slowed compared to last year, there remains plenty of employment opportunities in the area.

“With so many great businesses represented under one roof, it’s a golden opportunity for people to explore their options," Lepley said. “By learning more about how to create a great resume or how to interview better, students can really make a greater impact.”

In anticipation of the high school portion of the event, the duo has created a series of questions they will provide to all students, encouraging them to ask questions and learn more about each respective company or organization.

“It’s all about creating dialogue,” Lepley said. “We tried to create questions and examples of things they can ask employers that will not only be helpful, but will also inspire discussion rather than just having students visit tables and walk away with little interaction.”

Lepley said interaction for many high school students can be intimidating, so providing them with direction will greatly enhance the experience for both parties.

Vansickle said the other idea they hope to spark is encouraging students to think about what types of careers they’d like to experience in the future.

“Simply attending the event to experience what is available might help upperclassmen gain insight into fields they’d like to explore if they are planning on attending college but are unsure what field they’d like to pursue,” Vansickle said.

To entice as much dialogue as possible, participants in both the school session and the public session can register for a drawing for gas cards.

This event will run simultaneously with the West Holmes FFA All-In Day at Harvest Ridge, which will feature local professionals from various businesses providing educational opportunities in an array of fields, all in hope of planting the seeds of growth and inspiring students to explore career opportunities.

For more information or to become one of the representing businesses or organizations, call Vansickle. To have Lepley work on resumes or provide insight prior to the event, call either representative at 330-674-1111 or email Lisavansickle@jfs.ohio.gov or Nicole.Lepley@jfs.ohio.gov.

Employers can register for the event right up until it begins while this free event invites any person seeking employment or curious about what options are available in the county to stop by and get engaged.

Vansickle said they also are accepting contact and media information like pamphlets, business cards, applications and other information from businesses, and they will set up unmanned tables filled with information should a business be unable to attend but would still like to get their information out there to the public.

“This expo can open doors for new experiences and possibly pursuing employment in a field someone may have never thought about before,” Vansickle said.