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The Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association (OHLA), Oklahoma Restaurant Association (ORA), Oklahoma CareerTech, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau (OKC CVB), Visit Norman, HeartLine and United Way of Central Oklahoma will host the Central Oklahoma Hospitality Job Fair.
The free job fair will take place on Friday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Moore Norman Technology Center’s South Penn Campus located at 13301 South Pennsylvania Ave. A variety of hospitality jobs will be available including hotel guest services, waitstaff, culinary, banquets, housekeeping, attractions, maintenance, operations and management positions.
The event is open to the public and free to attend with no registration required for job applicants. A bilingual OHLA/ORA employee will be present to translate for prospective Spanish-speaking employees.
“The hospitality industry is ready to ramp up hiring and fill positions at all entry levels from front-line to management,” said Ida Fryhover, MNTC Workforce & Economic Development Coordinator. “We’re excited about this opportunity to meet with people who are ready to jump back into the hospitality and service industry.”
Job applicants are encouraged to bring numerous resume copies, wear interview-ready attire and be prepared to interview onsite. Employers can secure a free recruitment table at the hospitality job fair, but limited booth space is available. For more information, employers should register here by June 16 or contact Lacey Pierson, ORA/OHLA at lacey@okrestaurants.com or (405) 942-8181.
"The entire hospitality industry is in need of service-minded employees, so whether you're interested in joining the team at a restaurant or a hotel, interested job seekers will want to attend this job fair to interview with businesses prepared to immediately hire,” said Jim Hopper, President and CEO of OHLA and ORA.
There is pent-up travel demand that is creating a wide range of employment opportunities.
“As summer travel increases, we’re eager to help our hospitality industry partners fill open part-time and full-time positions and welcome travelers to Oklahoma City,” said Zac Craig, President of the OKC CVB.
Several metro-area non-profit organizations will also be present at the event to help with any additional services job applicants may need. HeartLine will assist job applicants with available resources through the 2-1-1 program by sharing information and referrals for employment, food and shelter, health and mental health services, crisis intervention and suicide prevention. United Way of Central Oklahoma will also have staff onsite to provide information on resources such as food, shelter, clothing, improved well-being and job skills training.
As the greater economy begins to recover, Oklahoma City's hospitality and service industry is hiring to meet the growing demand. Prior to the onset of COVID-19, the hospitality industry had supported employment for 11 percent of the U.S. workforce and nearly 22,000 employees in central Oklahoma, serving as the state’s third-largest industry.