CAN successfully organized and facilitated this years Spring Job Fair at the Prairie Pavillion in Red Deer, Alberta on March 25, 2009. CAN has been the central driving force behind these bi-annual job fairs, as contracted by the Alberta Government, from their inception over 5 years ago.
Attendance at this years Spring Job Fiar was expected to be higher due to various factors including the slow down of major sectors in Alberta's economy which in turn resulted in a subsequent rise in lay offs and unemployment. Even with the expected rise in attendance, no one in the planning or coordinating of this years Job Fair could have imagined just how many work searchers would come out.
The previous attendance record for a Job Fair was just over 3,000, which was achieved at the Fall Job Fair in 2008 which traditionally draws higher numbers than the Spring offering. The highest Spring Job Fair attendance record to date was slightly over 2,100 in 2008 as well. This years Spring Job Fair shattered all previous numbers, nearly doubling the attendance of the previous high, reaching a totaly of just under 5,300 attendees.
Traditionally a main-stay for key employers in Red Deer, CAN put considerable efforts in to identifying and inviting over 65 recruting employers to be part of this years Job Fair. The numbers were down for employers attending, but considering the current economic climate, it was a strong showing for work available in the area in contrast to alot of doom and gloom predictions and reports that have been circulating dinner tables and water coolers in Alberta.
While still not as strong as it used to be, the Alberta economy has been able to maintain an incredibly low unemployment rate of just 5.4%, ranking third just behind Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Additionally, Albertan's are still the nations highest earners with nearly 20% higher wages thatn that of the national average.