The pandemic has been extremely difficult for the service industry to navigate. After having to close or significantly adjust operations, which often meant reducing staff, bars and restaurants are finally getting ready to adjust to a busier and more vibrant pre-pandemic schedule. But employers are finding workers in short supply.
This weekend, more than 20 bars and restaurants are coming together to find employees at the Greater East Side Restaurant & Bar Job Fair. The job fair takes place at Casablanca, 728 E Brady Street, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on Friday May 21, and Saturday, May 22.
Businesses are looking for a wide variety of schedules from part-time seasonal help to full-time employees that will remain in companies’ leadership pipelines, and positions including line cooks, wait staff, and managers.
“We are looking forward to the Job Fair to help many local residents find good paying jobs with flexible schedules that work for everyone,” said Michael Glorioso, owner of Brady Street's Glorioso’s Italian Market, one of the businesses participating in the fair.
Companies represented at the Job Fair include Beans and Barley, Belair, Pizza Man, Bars & Recreation (the company behind AXE MKE, NorthSouth Club, Splash Studio and Nine Below), Café Hollander, Balzac, Von Trier, Yo Factory, Wings Over Milwaukee, Zaffiro’s, Ma Fischer’s, The Roman Coin, McDonalds (E. North Avenue location), Hi Hat, Qdoba (Brady Street location), The Nomad, Snack Boys, The Diplomat, Glorioso’s, Kompaii, Jack’s American Pub, Thainomite and Brewed Cafe.
Applications for all will be available on-site, and applicants should come ready to talk with a company representative. More information can be found on the Facebook event page.
The directors of the Brady Street, East Side, and Downer Avenue Business Improvement Districts heard this need and decided to use the organizations’ platforms to help.
In a statement, Rachel Taylor, Executive Director of the Brady Street BID, and Liz Brodek, Executive Director of East Side and Downer Avenue BIDs, said, “We’re excited to see people starting to come out again, but these business owners are struggling to find staff to meet operational demands. Our jobs are to help our stakeholders, and this seemed like a natural response to their needs. Banding the BIDs together makes this a stronger, more robust effort that we hope will benefit our businesses.”
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