AccessDubuqueJobs.com Spring Career Fair Drives Connections and Opportunities

On February 21, 2024, Greater Dubuque Development hosted the AccessDubuqueJobs.com Spring Career Fair at the Hotel Julien in downtown Dubuque. Drawing over 340 college students and job seekers, the event facilitated connections with 62 employers and workforce partners from our regional market.

Strategic outreach and partnerships with career services staff across local colleges brought nearly 150 students from institutions such as Clarke University, Emmaus Bible College, Loras College, Northeast Iowa Community College, and the University of Dubuque. To kickstart their experience, students received orientation sessions from their respective colleges' career services staff, preparing them for networking with potential employers.

In addition to networking opportunities, students were offered the chance to have professional headshots taken for use on social media profiles and future job applications. A total of 78 students took advantage of this valuable opportunity.

Jeff Roberts, Coordinator of Career Services at Loras College, emphasized the fair's impact, stating, "The annual AccessDubuqueJobs.com Spring Career Fair offers students insights on a significant cross-section of employers within the Tri-State region. For an investment of just an hour or two, students are able to build employer networks related to their professional aspirations, test and validate a resume as a marketing piece, enhance one’s own professional image through the complimentary headshots provided by Greater Dubuque Development, and connect with Loras alumni who are now in the strategic role of personnel recruiters.”

Participating employers and workforce partners spanned a range of career opportunities across various industries in the Tri-State area, including finance, technology, manufacturing, IT, education, public safety, local government, and more. Special attention was given to healthcare professions, with designated event space for employers to conduct onsite interviews in response to recent layoffs by Grand River Medical Center.

This annual career fair was open to all Workforce Solutions Investors at no cost. As always, we appreciate the support of our investors and partners in making this a successful event that reinforces for area college students and regional jobseekers that YOU can be great here in Greater Dubuque.

For more information about our career fair events or to explore becoming a Workforce Solutions Investor, contact Mandi Dolson, Director of Workforce Recruitment & Retention at mandid@greaterdubuque.org or 563-557-9049.