Cook County Information Center

Press Release

April 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact Andre Garner, Director of Communications & Public Affairs, at 773-562-8874 or email Garner at afgarner@cookcountygov.com.

County Job Fair Connects Laid Off Workers With Employers

Thousands of former County employees link up with public, private employers during series of job fairs..

See below for high-resolution photo.

Chicago – The Cook County Bureau of Human Resources drew hundreds of former County employees to its job fair in the Dunn Administration in downtown Chicago today, part of a series of County-sponsored events designed to connect former employees with companies and agencies in the metro region.

Invited companies included Brookfield Zoo, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago Police Department, Washington Mutual, Metra, the Secretary of State, and other government agencies, private companies and educational institutions.

The Cook County Bureau of Human Resources is also helping connect workers with job training through County agencies like POET – the President’s Office of Employment Training, according to Antoinette V. Portis-Williams, RN, BSN, who works for the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources.

“Literally hundreds of people had come through the doors by noon,” says Portis-Williams. “This parallels turnout we saw at earlier job fairs we held at Cook County Hospital and the County Building."

If employer feedback is any indication, County workers are fairing well in hiring, as well -- Portis-Williams says she has talked to literally dozens of employers who've hired workers in the wake of these job fairs, and that health care institutions have also been calling for information on how to reach out to former County nurses.

“These job fairs are part of our standing commitment to our workforce, including employees who’ve left in the wake of budget cuts,” said County Board President Todd H. Stroger. “We know our workers are a tremendous asset to any company or organization they join, and it’s deeply encouraging that employers clearly recognize their value in the marketplace, as well.”

For more information, contact Antoinette V. Portis-Williams in the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources at 312-603-6360 or avwilliams@cookcountygov.com, or Andre Garner, Director of Communications & Public Affairs, at 773-562-8874 or afgarner@cookcountygov.com.

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Pictured: (left to right): Antoinette V. Portis-Williams, RN, BSN talks to a jobseeker at Cook County's April 26 job fair for displaced Cook County workers. "Literally hundreds of people had come through the doors by noon," says Portis-Williams, who works for the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources. If employer feedback is any indication, County workers are fairing well in hiring, as well -- Portis-Williams says she has talked to literally dozens of employers who've hired workers in the wake of these job fairs. (Photo by Chris Geovanis.)

To download a high resolution version of this photo in JPG format, click here, then right-click on the image and select 'Save Image'.

Pictured: Sherry Jackson (right) of the Illinois Department of Human Resources talks to a jobseeker at Cook County's April 26 job fair for displaced Cook County workers. (Photo by Chris Geovanis.)

To download a high resolution version of this photo in JPG format, click here, then right-click on the image and select 'Save Image'.

Pictured: A representative from MetLife (left) talks to a jobseeker at Cook County's April 26 downtown job fair. (Photo by Chris Geovanis.)

To download a high resolution version of this photo in JPG format, click here, then right-click on the image and select 'Save Image'.

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