job
Featured Local News

Durham Food/Beverage Job Fair: Connect With Employers Offering Sustainable Wages, Benefits

Phyllis Coley @phyllis_coley

JOBDURHAM, NC – Discover Durham, in partnership with American Tobacco Campus (ATC) and the Durham Workforce Development Board, will host an in-person food and beverage job fair on July 13 from 3-7 pm for Durham restaurants, hotels, cafes, nightlife, and attractions hiring full-time positions with competitive benefits and starting wages of at least $13+/hour. Registration for job applicants is now open at bullcityjobfair.com.

“After months of pivoting to survive during the pandemic, local food and beverage establishments now face a serious challenge with an unprecedented workforce shortage as business returns and many struggle to meet demand,” said Susan Amey, Discover Durham president, and CEO. “We’ve followed the national workforce-related trends and have spent significant time listening to the employers and job seekers here in Durham. This job fair is designed to address the changing nature of the industry while expediting the economic recovery for all in Durham.”

jobDiscover Durham collaborated with key stakeholders at Durham Technical Community College, North Carolina Central University, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development to distribute a survey to Durham-based hospitality employers this spring. The findings of the survey stress the critical need for and importance of immediate and actionable resources for hospitality employers to recruit job seekers.

Highlights from the survey results of 70+ respondents outline that:

  • 79% consider staff recruitment to be very/extremely urgent, with 84% of respondents currently hiring.
  • 64% of employers consider the workforce shortage an extreme threat to their business viability.
  • Employers are currently hiring an average of 19 positions each.
  • 54% of respondents have open positions paying over $13/hour, with 27% paying over $15/hour.
  • The majority of positions most urgently needed are in the food and beverage industry.

JOB“Employment in the leisure and hospitality sector was hit hard by the pandemic, and rebuilding the workforce is crucial to Durham’s recovery,” said Adam Klein, director at ATC and American Underground. “By hosting a job fair here at ATC, we’re able to focus on immediate hiring needs by promoting employee recruitment and retention, while also ensuring a more sustainable  workforce environment by featuring employers that are proactively building more approachable and favorable working conditions.”

In terms of the percentage of employment lost, the leisure and hospitality industry has been the most impacted nonfarm industry in our region. The leisure and hospitality services sector reported the largest over-the-year decrease across North Carolina with a loss of 87,200 jobs, marking a 16.7% decrease from January 2021 to 2020. In the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, impacts of the pandemic were felt even more, with employment in the leisure and hospitality industry down 30% during the same time period. The hospitality industry has traditionally served as an employment pillar for those belonging to conventionally underserved and minority communities. As reported by the U.S. Bureau Labor of Statistics,  43% of NC leisure and hospitality workers identified as Black/African American, Asian, and/or Hispanic/Latino in 2020.

“We will be at the job fair with at least 10 open positions available to be filled for immediate hire,” said Dorian Bolden, president and CEO, Beyu Caffe. “We’ve been careful and thoughtful throughout the pandemic, putting our team’s safety first – so we’re grateful for the chance to expand and meet with candidates eager to get started in an industry that offers opportunity and builds community. The food and beverage industry is shifting – I encourage you to come to the event and see for yourself.”

More than twenty-five employers will be in attendance on July 13 for the job fair, offering full-time front and back-of-house positions. Many have starting wages of $15/hour or more with competitive benefits. Participating employers range from hotel properties like 21c Museum and Hotel and Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club, to local Durham restaurants Beyu Caffe and Zweli’s Kitchen. Agencies such as Headway Workforce Solutions will also be in attendance. Entry-level positions will be offered, and no experience is required to attend.

 

Employment resources and support for job seekers will be available on-site through NCWorks and the Durham Workforce Development Board. Spanish interpreters from Tilde Language Justice Cooperative will also be available to assist and limited childcare will be offered through The Y for children ages three and up. Parking at ATC will be free. The event will be held in Bay 7, which is owned and operated by Angus Barn. Walk-ins are welcome, but job seekers are urged to register in advance at bullcityjobbfair.com.

Discover Durham received funding to host the Durham Food and Beverage Job Fair and other workforce development-related initiatives through a grant awarded by the City and County of Durham. The plan was vetted by the Durham Recovery & Renewal Task Force, supported as a project that would assist in the economic recovery of our community. Discover Durham plans to organize another job fair event in the coming months that will be more encompassing of the entire hospitality industry after the immediate food and beverage-related needs are first addressed.

About Discover Durham:

Discover Durham tells Durham, North Carolina’s story to attract visitors and drive economic progress. As Durham’s official tourism marketing and sales agency, it promotes the strategic economic and cultural development of Durham as a visitor destination. Discover Durham markets the community to millions of people each year, helping new and returning guests get off the beaten path and experience something new. Discover Durham also operates the Durham Sports Commission, which drives sports tourism in Durham. Discover Durham’s work helps fuel sales at local businesses, creates jobs, generates tax revenues, and enhances the quality of life for our residents. For more information about Durham, visit www.discoverdurham.com, or follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.