There was a good turnout at the at the first Retail Career Expo and Hiring Event, recently hosted by Central Minnesota Jobs & Training  Services (CMJTS) at the Monticello Workforce.

 

About 50 job seekers attended the event, and 19 businesses were on hand with job openings in all facets of retail.

 

“All of the feedback we had from employers was very positive,” says Leslie Wojtowicz of CMJTS. “We know two of the job seekers left with jobs that day and several left with interviews scheduled with employers. We’ll be doing a follow-up survey to see how many employers hired people from the event.”

 

Those businesses included Taco John’s, Coborn’s, Albertville Outlet Mall, Subway, Cabela’s, Becker Furniture World, Home Depot, Clearwater Travel Plaza, Best Western, Spee-Dee Delivery, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Scrubs by Diane, Sherwin Williams, Archway Marketing, Auto Zone, FedEx, Holiday Companies and the Workforce Center.

 

In addition to businesses with jobs, job seekers had a chance to sit down as part of a panel discussion about retail.

 

“It was designed to  help people better understand what retail is, the career opportunities and earning potential,” says Tim Zipoy, business resource specialist with CMJTS. 

 

“They also heard about the labor market and information on career training.”

 

One of the panel speakers was Laurie Summerland, general manager of Albertville Premium Outlets. She spoke about how she started in retail as a teenager and made it her career.

 

“I started out as 15-year old bagging groceries in our local grocery store. I discovered I had a passion for people - I loved  the interaction,” she said. 

 

She went from grocery store clerk to small retailer to the hotel industry and into retail department stores. She started as the selling manager at Herbergers and moved up to assistant store manager then to general manager. She worked there for 28 years.

 

She said many people believe once they’ve been at a job for a long time, they’re too old to do anything else.

 

“That’s wrong,” she said.

 

“I don’t care what age you are, there’s always opportunity.”

 

Cheryl Huff, a general manager with Subway, told the group there’s opportunities for advancement even at a young age.

 

She started as a “sandwich artist” in 1999 working part-time.

 

Because she showed the desire to do more, she worked her way up to supervisor, then assistant manager and store manager. Two years ago she was offered a general manager position. Today she is the GM for four stores, including stores in Big Lake, Monticello and Albertville.

 

“It depends on how much you want to learn,” she said. “As you want to advance, they help you advance and give you the tools.”

 

Zipoy says those are examples refuting the idea that retail doesn’t have career opportunities, and the Retail Expo was a good way to introduce people to jobs and careers.

 

He said the businesses were pleased with the chance to meet prospective employees.

 

“I personally spoke with every one of the 19 businesses and they were very glad they were there,” he says. 

 

“I like to think the more people the better, but I’ve learned that for many companies, if they make contact with one or two prospects, they think it’s time well spent. Each one of them accomplished at least that much.”

 

Wojtowicz said they intend to hold another retail event next year because of a two-year retail grant the Workforce Center received earlier in the month.