MSP Airport (MSP) rolled out the red-carpet last week at its first job fair in 18 months with the hopes of filling hundreds of open positions.
Filling those positions is crucial to helping MSP provide the best service possible to passengers who are returning to travel. Several businesses at MSP in recent months have either remained closed or curtailed their hours after struggling to fill jobs.
About 400 jobseekers attended the Aug. 19 event, held for the first time in the recently opened Silver Parking Ramp, which is easily accessed by MetroTransit's Blue Line and No. 54 bus.
About 28 companies were represented at the event. Several hired employees on the spot and directed them to the Airport Police Department's Badging Office, which extended its hours to help streamline the hiring process.
That's what happened to one coffee shop candidate who, arriving before the job fair even opened, was interviewed, hired and directed to the Badging Office in short order.
"The feedback we received from hiring managers was overwhelmingly positive – the best job fair they've attended in years," said Jay Noseworthy, manager of Concessions Operations for the MAC. "We heard success stories from many companies that hired five, 10 or even 15 new employees on the spot."
To build on this success and with the knowledge that more positions will need to be filled, another fair is tentatively being planned for late 2021 or early 2022.
