The City of Rochelle and the Office of Mayor John Bearrows announce the Rochelle Community of Opportunity Spring 2022 Hiring Expo to be held on May 6, 2022, in the Blue Gym at the Rochelle Township High School, 1401 East Flagg Road. The in-person city-wide Expo will feature over 40 commercial, retail, and industrial companies offering full-time, part-time, and seasonal work. Some will be offering signing bonuses, employee referral rewards, and other incentives. The Expo is open to the public from 12:30-4:30pm.
There are several factors contributing to a national decline in labor force participation including retirement, education, family responsibilities and disability. Collaboration at the local, state, and federal level is necessary for developing impactful solutions. The City of Rochelle created this Hiring Expo last Fall to support the efforts of local businesses to strengthen the community’s overall workforce.
“When Baby Boomers retire early, as many have during COVID, this creates additional gaps in the workforce leaving businesses struggling to hire and keep up with high demands for their products and services”, said Mayor John Bearrows. “We are inviting residents to reconsider Rochelle as a destination for growing their careers”, he added.
Prior to the start of the Expo, employers will have the opportunity to network with students at Rochelle Township High School (RTHS). The Hubs for Hire hour will expose young people to opportunities for part-time, seasonal, job shadowing, mentoring and internships. Interested students can also learn what might be required academically to fill future career positions.
Rochelle Township High School District #212 & Community Consolidated School District #231 Superintendent Jason Harper, a member of the Expo planning team and host of the event, says, “We want to reach students early so they can discover, explore, and learn real-world trade skills”.
The Rochelle Community of Opportunity Spring 2022 Hiring Expo is open to Rochelle employers only and there is no cost to attend. Companies must register through College Central Network at https://bit.ly/3DGE9q0. Registration will close after the first 40 companies complete a brief online process.
Job seekers are asked to register at Eventbrite to be eligible for an entry into a cash drawing of $300. The link is https://hubsgethired22.eventbrite.com. Workers do not have to register online to attend but must be pre-registered to participate in the cash drawing.
The Expo is sponsored by the City of Rochelle, Office of Mayor John Bearrows, Kishwaukee College, Rochelle Township High School, Rochelle Foods – Hormel, Tyson Foods, and 102.3 The Coyote & Superhits 93.5. A targeted social media, radio and print campaign will be used to reach the largest segment of the unemployed as far east as Aurora, Illinois.
“Talent attraction is more successful when collaborating with local partners”, said City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh. He added, “This is especially true when the collaboration involves industry and business partners coming together with a common workforce attraction and retention goal that supports the commercial and industrial growth Rochelle is experiencing”.
