Matching mature workers with companies looking for a few good people is the aim of the first senior job fair and forum hosted by the city of Sedona and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce.
Ready-to-work 50- to 90-year-olds are invited to participate in the forum held in collaboration with the Mature Workforce Committee of the Arizona Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging on Friday, Sept. 19, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Yavapai College in Sedona.
The event is free to participants and includes lunch.
By Susan Johnson
Larson Newspapers
Matching mature workers with companies looking for a few good people is the aim of the first senior job fair and forum hosted by the city of Sedona and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce.
Ready-to-work 50- to 90-year-olds are invited to participate in the forum held in collaboration with the Mature Workforce Committee of the Arizona Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging on Friday, Sept. 19, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Yavapai College in Sedona.
The event is free to participants and includes lunch.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. followed by comments from Anne Leap, senior information referral specialist for the city of Sedona, Mayor Rob Adams, Sedona Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff and Linda Martinez, chair for the Northern Arizona Interfaith Council.
“NAIC works with churches, schools and nonprofits to teach seniors, workers and families how to improve their own lives by understanding how decisions are made at a community and state level,” Martinez said. “For example, if seniors want community colleges to offer more employment and technology skills, we not only make this happen, but we’re accountable for supporting new programs.”
An audience identification of issues facing seniors and employers in the workforce will be led by Barbara Litrell, president of Keep Sedona Beautiful.
The job fair is hosted by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and will include representatives from area companies present to talk about job opportunities and to accept resumes and applications for jobs.
Leap said that the forum was prompted by the number of calls the city receives from seniors who find they need to return to work.
On the other side of the equation are employers looking for reliable help.
“We have a labor shortage in Sedona,” Wesselhoff said. “On average, there are 200 help wanted ads in the local newspaper and nearly 60 percent are in the hospitality industry.”
Among those representing hospitality will be Sheldon Finkelstein, human resources director for ILX Resorts.
“I’ll be talking about the wide range of positions available in our industry,” Finkelstein said.
“There’s something for everyone — from working at the front desk to the gift shop to landscaping to helping out in the kitchens and the restaurants.”
Of the 300 people ILX currently employs, nearly 100 are over 50 years old.
“Our goal is to find the right person for the job,” Finkelstein said. “Our strongest requirement is a good work ethic. Not everyone who applies works out, but most people understand the importance of getting to work on time and doing the job we’ve assigned them.”
Prior experience isn’t always a requirement, he said; training is available for many positions.
Neither is full-time necessary if a person wants to work only a few days or evenings a week.
In addition, the company hires seasonal employees to help during their busiest periods in summer and for the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Year’s.
White Tie Transportation is another company looking for part-time employees in Sedona.
“We are not looking for traditional truck drivers,” said Joseph Uffens who owns the company. “We’re looking for people with customer service and executive backgrounds who want to work 20 to 25 hours per week making local and airport transfers to Phoenix and Flagstaff.”
Employees for the company wear a dress shirt and tie driving everything from sedans to vans to limousines.
Uffens is also looking for drivers with a passenger endorsement to drive mini-buses.
“I find mature employees who are retired or semi-retired to be the best fit for our high-end clients,” Uffens said. “A typical work schedule includes three or four mornings or evenings a week for about five or six hours.”
Dennis Garvey, director of Yavapai College Center for Successful Aging, will address the perspective of making a good match between the employee and the employer.
“This is an interesting time in that the notion of retirement is changing under our feet,” Garvey said. “Many people are finding they need to continue working, but not necessarily in the same profession.”
Garvey said that most people returning to the workforce are looking for meaningful activity and that many times that includes community service.
“This workforce is also looking to pick and choose their hours, and the business community needs to adapt to that if they’re not finding the right match,” Garvey said.
The keynote presentation, “A Report from the Top — The Governor’s Initiative on the Mature Workforce,” will be presented by Melanie Starns, executive director of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging.
Registration is required and space is limited. Call Anne Leap at 203-5151 or e-mail aleap@sedonaaz.gov to reserve a place at the forum.
Employers wishing to participate in the job fair should call the Sedona Chamber of Commerce at 203-1123.
Susan Johnson can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 129, or e-mail sjohnson@larsonnewspapers.com
