Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar shared updates from his Holiday Jobs Fair that he hosted last November, where he connected local job seekers with Inland Empire employers.

“Our community was devastated by the Great Recession and families are still fighting to make ends meet. That’s unacceptable,” said Rep. Aguilar. He continued, “While the economy has improved nationally, we just aren’t feeling it in the Inland Empire. That’s why jobs fairs like this play an important role and why I’ll continue to hold events like this and work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues in Congress to find new ways to get our economy moving again.”

“Representative Aguilar's Holiday Jobs Fair helped connect me with the resources I needed to find a job that matched my skills,” said Trevor, a Colton resident who attended the jobs fair in early November. He added, “I really like my job and hope more people can see the same success I have from this opportunity.” Trevor was connected to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Program, which placed him in a security guard position.

Rep. Aguilar helped connect San Bernardino County residents with over two dozen different local employers and critical job training and education programs. At least forty-four people were placed in a job as a result of the jobs fair. Expanding access to employment through jobs fairs and other opportunities has been Rep. Aguilar’s top priority since taking office last year, and was included in his Jobs Plan. He has also taken other steps to get the regional economy back on track, including three different jobs bills and bringing federal agency representatives to California’s 31^st Congressional District. In August, Rep. Aguilar hosted United States Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet in San Bernardino to highlight specific opportunities for small businesses in the Inland Empire.