Hospitality industry job fair to be held Aug. 17

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A job fair for hospitality industry workers will be held Aug. 17 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

The job fair, free to job seekers, will be held from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and include positions ranging from managerial to entry level.

“The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is hosting this job fair to match Columbia area hospitality partners with job seekers in hopes of helping our hotel, restaurant and attractions partners and job seekers find opportunities in the hospitality industry,” Cheryl Swanson, convention center vice president and general manager, said in a news release.

Hospitality businesses can register online or call 803-545-0181 to be a vendor.

The hospitality industry has been hard-hit by the pandemic, with a federal relief program targeting restaurants and bars paying out $28.6 billion to more than 100,000 service-industry establishments. Economists estimate that South Carolina’s hospitality and tourism industry dropped 15% from pre-pandemic levels, according to University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management professor Simon Hudson’s remarks in a university publication in March.