Career fair to transform hundreds of lives with expungement, hiring event

The Way World Outreach has partnered with City Way Community Economic Development Corporation, San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office, Department of Human Services, and the Office of Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. for its upcoming expungement and hiring event in San Bernardino.

On Thursday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., San Bernardino County residents will have the opportunity to set aside criminal convictions through an expungement process, while at the same time attend a job fair with over 30 employers, in which many are felon-friendly.

“We’ve partnered with the San Bernardino Country Public Defender’s Office to process expungement paperwork on-site, and they’ll also assist with processing Riverside and Los Angeles County expungements,” said Ray Blom, City Way Employment Services president.

The setup for the event is the perfect space for attendees to get criminal records expunged, while at the same time meet potential employers, interview and maybe land a job on the spot.

“We’ll also be creating resumes on the spot, assist with preparing attendees for interviews…we also have our team providing haircuts, styling and wardrobe assistance to those who need it. We’re looking forward to it, it’s one of the biggest events in the community every year,” concluded Blom.

Each year, typically somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 people in the county attend the event and utilize the social services, but it’s unknown what the turnout will look like in 2021 due to the pandemic; what is known, is the need for expungement and jobs in the county.

“Through efforts such as this expungement and hiring event, lives are transformed and everyone benefits. I’m proud to partner with The Way World Outreach, San Bernardino County Public Defender’s Office, Workforce Development Board, and Department of Human Services. We know we are going to help many people who are looking for work, the employers who are looking to fill their positions, and the community as a whole,” said Baca Jr.

The Hiring Event builds on work San Bernardino County is doing under the state’s Prison2Employment (P2E) initiative, designed to help formerly incarcerated individuals find jobs and live independent lives. California releases approximately 36,000 individuals from state prison each year. Under P2E, $37 million was committed statewide to operationalize integration of workforce and re-entry services across the state over a three-year period.

Jonathan Weldy, who chairs WDB’s Special Populations Committee, believes P2E and events such as the Expungement and Hiring Event will pay off in a multitude of ways.

“You see the impact it is having on so many individuals who now have the opportunity to re-establish their lives, live independently and contribute to society in a greater way. At the end of the day, too, it strengthens our labor pool and contributes to a healthier local and regional economy,” Weldy said.

The event will be taking all COVID-19 precautions; social distancing is expected and masks are required at the event, which is located at 4680 Hallmark Pkwy., San Bernardino at The Way World Outreach campus.

For more information on the Expungement and Career Fair, go visit tiny.one/hiremetoday or call (909) 884-7117.