The Cortez Colorado Workforce Center and Cortez Retail Enhancement Association will host a job fair April 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Montezuma County Annex, 107 N. Chestnut St.
So far 35 employers have signed up to provide information and applications on job openings, said Tia Lee, employment specialist for the Workforce Center.
“A lot of local businesses are looking to fill positions right away, there are some great opportunities and a lot of choices for employees,” she said.
Potential employees can fill out applications, and employers may do spot interviews and hiring.
Area colleges, career counselors, and job training program officials will be there, including Pueblo Community College, San Juan College, Unlimited Learning Center, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act representatives and more.
Restaurants, hotel and retail companies at the job fair will be pursuing the increased staff needed to gear up for the tourism season, Lee said.
Representatives with the construction industry will also be on hand. Attendees with job offerings include Southwest Health System, Ute Mountain Casino, and the city of Cortez.
Mesa Verde Country and Cortez Retail Enhancement Association will be on hand to connect job seekers with employers and training programs.
There will be information on jobs and training programs for commercial drivers, the medical field, welding and building trades.
For more information, contact the Cortez Workforce Center at (970) 565-3759 or visit them at their new convenient downtown location at 22 W. North St. just east of the Montezuma County Health Department.
Also, the city of Cortez will host a job fair for the Cortez Recreation Center on April 21 from noon to 2 p.m. and on April 22 from 10 a.m. to noon.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Montezuma County unemployment rate was 4.7% in February, down from 5% in August 2021, but up from 3.4% in December 2022.
As of January, 11,500 people had jobs in the county, down from 12,600 who had jobs in December.
According to Southwest Colorado Region 9 Economic Development data, the top employment sectors in Montezuma County are health care and social assistance (1,858), retail trade (1,347), public administration (1,175), education services (1,097), construction (1,010), lodging and food services (825), arts and entertainment (583), agriculture (556) and manufacturing (473).
Statewide, the unemployment rate in Colorado as of February was 2.9%, down from 3.6% in February 2022.
Overall the state is seeing a decline in the unemployment rate to below prepandemic levels, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
