Hundreds attend career expo at Washington Park Senior Center

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee's central city has been hit hard as the nation's economy struggles to recover from the recession. Hundreds are out of work and homes have been foreclosed upon. On Thursday, October 25th the Employment, Training and Education Expo at the Washington Park Senior Center helped deliver some hope to those looking for employment.

“Right now, I do have a part time job, but it's kind of like in and out,” job seeker Danielle Baker said Thursday.

For the last two years, Baker says she has struggled to find work.

“I actually got injured on the job back in 2010.  I was a personal care worker, and since then, it has been tough for me to find a stable job,” Baker said.

Baker and over 400 others showed up to the expo hosted by the Social Development Commission, Kaplan University and Milwaukee County Supervisor Russell Stamper.  They met with 35 employers, training agencies and schools that were providing a number of opportunities.

“There are hundreds of jobs available, and so we brought those employers in so they can give that information to job seekers and tell them the best way to apply,”  Xantony Brookens, Operations Supervisor with the Social Development Commission said.

“I would say the positions that are available right now, we’re looking at probably dozens of jobs,”  Lee Sattler, recruiter from Speedway said.

From Speedway convenience stores to banks and staffing agencies, there were jobs available for every experience level and industry.

Sarie Ladenthan was laid off three months ago, joining a new batch of the recently unemployed.

“I'm just going to look around and see what I can find," Ladenthan said.

Ladenthan joins the more than 26,000 people in Milwaukee still without a job. However, she and others remained hopeful Thursday that one of the booths would have something for them.

“I had a couple people tell me to shoot my resume over.  Got my fingers crossed, I’m hoping,” Baker said.

This was the second Employment, Training and Education Expo expo held at the Washington Park Senior Center in just two months.  Around 400 people attended one last August.