TAMPA -- Tampanians on the East side of the City will have a rare opportunity Saturday with a career fair in their community.

CareerSource Tampa Bay, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated and St. John Cathedral will hosted a hiring event Saturday, April 23. 

In February, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate in Tampa is 2.9%. For communities on the East side of Tampa, the unemployment numbers are double the rate of the entire city. 

Adrian White is the Bigger and Better Business Committee Chair of Tampa's Gamma Eta Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He helped organize the event to bring resources and this career fair to the inner city. 

"You always heard them at the fair grounds, you heard them at the Airports," said White. "Basically you would apply for a job downtown and hope the person is going to call you back. You wait four and five weeks and hope they call you back. My idea was that we're going to put it in the community where there is a major need and they can walk out of here with a job." 

A total of 20 venders including the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County will be on location at St. John Cathedral to meet prospects for employment. The salaries for these positions range from $10 per hour to $30 per hour. White says job seekers do not need to have a resume. If there is a spot on your record, White also says there will be companies present who are willing to work with applicants. 

"If you need a job right away we have a lady coming from a fishery company. she's gonna hire you and pick you up. you don't even need transportation," he said.

White says this event comes during a critical moment for residents on Tampa's East side as they continue to recover from the pandemic, job loss and a housing crisis. He says waiting for a call back for a job could be the difference between someone sustaining housing or being evicted and even becoming homeless. 

"There's always a process, but its not where you gotta wait," said White. "I just didn't want people to be waiting and we make promises and they go home. It's a really crucial thing now people can't even pay rent and its right here in this community." ​

The career fair will be held on Saturday, April 23rd, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at St. John Cathedral, located at 3401 E. 25th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605.

For more information, employers, and job seekers can click here, or contact Louis Rivera at riveral@careersourcetb.com or via phone at 813-763-0479.