Saskatoon job fair looks to connect newcomers to new jobs

The Saskatoon Open Door Society brought together employers with people looking for jobs at its WE Connect Job Fair.

Although the job fair targeted newcomers to Saskatoon, Wednesday's job fair was open to the public.

"It is important because this is a job fair that is under one roof where you can find multi, like, different levels of employers from different industries," Tisham Mohammed, employment counsellor with the Saskatoon Open Door Society, said.

Thirty-seven exhibitors were ready to hire more than 100 new employees, although Mohammed said there were up to 1,100 job seekers expected at the fair.

One of those seekers was Mandeep Singh Sethi, who has been in Canada for some time after leaving India where he spent nine years working in the banking industry.

"But I am unable to collect a job because whenever I try to get a job into banking, people need (Canadian) banking experience," Sethi said.

"I have to start somewhere."

Mohammed agreed that many newcomers face the same challenge asSethi, where years of experience in other countries aren't recognized by local employers. However, Mohammed said these job fairs are ideal to help people find jobs.