Following layoffs at John Deere and Duluth Trading, hundreds of people visit the job fair in Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa – Hundreds of people who just lost their jobs were paired with potential employers on Thursday during a hiring fair held in Dubuque.

Following the recent layoff of more than 200 employees in the tri-state area by Deere & Company and Duluth Trading Company, Access Dubuque Jobs, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, and IowaWORKS pooled resources for the event.

“We want to make sure that they find what they’re looking for in our community and concentrate on the skills and people that we have here,” said Nic Hockenberry, director of Greater Dubuque Development Workforce Solutions.

Ashley Hakanson works full-time at Duluth Trading and attends Northeast Iowa Community College part-time. She will be jobless by the end of October. She went to the fair with the hopes of securing the ideal position to pursue her passion.

Hakanson stated, “I want to be a marketing manager, and Duluth actually inspired my career path.” I feel like it’s bittersweet to close this chapter of my life.

Once Hakanson and the other job seekers meet with about fifty regional businesses from various industries, their optimism grows.

Hakanson clarified, “I feel like this is making room for so many more opportunities, even though this door may be closing for everyone right now.” “I hope to God that my coworkers have the exact same experience when they leave here because I feel like this has been a really positive experience for me.”

The organizers of the job fair also advise attendees to go through more than 1,000 job postings by visiting accessdubuquejobs.com.