2023 Mat-Su Employer Expo

WASILLA — The 2023 Mat-Su Employer Expo drew over 700 local job seekers to the Menard Sports Center Wednesday, March 29.

According to Mat-Su Job Center business connections representative Lana Kosek, 130 different employers and agencies participated in this year's event, offering a wide range of career paths.

"It's been the best day," Kosek said.

The Mat-Su Job Center has hosted this event for nearly three decades. It was formerly held at the Mat-Su College, but it outgrew that location. Kosek said it's continuing to grow with more interest from employers and job seekers each year.

About 45 percent of the employer booths were new this year, according to Kosek. She said they could have easily fit 50 more booths if they utilized the ice arena and they plan to expand the event even further next year, perhaps even adding an additional day.

"With so many opportunities and so much growth and change in the Valley, it is especially exciting," Kosek said. "Our whole goal is to get people into high growth, high demand positions that will sustain them."

Health care, road construction, and hospitality are the fastest growing employment sectors in the Mat-Su Valley, according to Kosek. She said there are a lot of driven and qualified job seekers ready to enter the local workforce.

"People are striving more for a better job and they're working harder to get there," Kosek said.

Kosek said the expo is a great resource for local job seekers due to the sheer number of opportunities available in one place.

"It doesn't stop at the expo," Kosek said.

The Mat-Su Job Center offers a wide range of services and resources to local job seekers throughout the year on resume writing and interview tips and tricks.

"Everything we do is free," Kosek said. "The Mat-Su Job Center will continue to grow right alongside the Mat-Su Valley."

For more information, call 907-352-2500 or email matsu.jobcenter.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com