Job Fair Offers Opportunities In Thornton Township


Job Fair Offers Opportunities In Thornton Township

By Monique Smith

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2016 report, the national unemployment rate hovered at around 5%, yet that same report showed the unemployment rate for Thornton Township is 7.70%. To try and fill the unemployment gap, Thornton Township recently held its 21st Annual Community Job Fair at the South Suburban Community College Fitness Center in South Holland, Illinois. With the 7.70% unemployment rate being slightly higher than that of the national average, it is also reflective of 0.85% job growth in Thornton and future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 34.00% according to the same report.

Troy O’Quin, General Assistant and Pantry Manager for Thornton Township is optimistic about future job growth in Thornton Township.

“We have an emerging job market in Thornton Township,” he explained. “There will be more opportunities coming soon because of the new Walmart being built in Homewood, the new Meijer store coming to Flossmoor and there are new manufacturing job opportunities coming to the area as well,” he said. O’Quin says that job fairs are a good opportunity to get hired by employers looking to fill positions. “I have personally seen people get hired from our job fairs. They may have not gotten hired on the spot, but the conversation did start at the job fair and later lead to employment,” he said.

The job fair was attended by several people looking for their next employment opportunity including people like Adrianne Burney who attended last year’s job fair at South Suburban College.

“It was very successful,” she said. “I did get a job from attending last year’s job fair,” she added. Burney says she just re-entered the ranks of the unemployed over the past few months and is putting forth a real effort in her search. Now, she’s hoping for a call back about a job.

Thornton Township is the largest township in Illinois, the municipalities include; Blue Island (southern edge), Burnham, Calumet City, Dixmoor, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Glenwood (northern quarter), Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood (northern half ), Lansing (northern half ), Markham (eastern quarter), Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale, South Holland and Thornton. The job fair was represented by more than 25 companies who were looking to recruit new employees.

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