Mat-Su Employer Expo offers connection, opportunities for job seekers

The national unemployment rates hover around 4.4%, according to the Alaska Department of Labor and Statistics, reflecting the percentage of people actively looking for work but not currently employed. In Alaska, the rate is 5.5% and within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, that rate is slightly higher at 6%. While those numbers may seem bleak, there are employers actively looking for employment and many them were on hand during the 2025 Mat-Su Employer Expo at the Menard Center this week.

Hundreds of people, from students still in school looking for opportunities for summer work to people looking for their second act, turned out to the free event to connect with employers hiring for entry level, technical, professional, and seasonal positions.

“We came out to see what they got here,” said Destiny House, who came out with friend Vanessa Petrie.

Both are juniors at Su Valley Jr/Sr High School and were attending as part of a school trip. While they have not fully committed to careers yet, they expressed interest exploring the Employer Expo to see what options are out there, though both seemed interested in Wal-Mart.

“I have a lot of ideas, I think everyone does. There’s a lot here,” said Petrie, who wanted to just see what the Expo had to offer, while House expressed interest in technology or writing.

Representatives from the Alaska Railroad offered entry level jobs for those looking to get their foot in the door in a nontraditoinal tourism job, while the Holland America/Princess Alaska-Yukon (HAP) was on hand looking to fill a variety of land-based positions in Alaska, with the perk of earning a cruise after completing 400 hours or more of seasonal work.

There were also opportunities to speak with university, CTE, and apprenticeship programs, as well as union representatives. Alaska Works Partnerships offers free training opportunities through Construction Academies, allowing people to explore options without completing committing to a vocational training program, or enhance skills they previously learned, while the Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) offered information on various programs, including Alaska Maritime Training, Industrial Machine and Maintenance, and Industrial Electricity, to name a few.

For more information about employment opportunities, please visit www.jobs.alaska.gov.