Area job fair set as unemployment ticks up

BASTROP — As Bastrop County’s unemployment rate ticked up to 3.8% in February, local officials and workforce leaders are preparing a job fair to connect residents with hiring employers.

The jobless rate rose slightly from 3.6% in January, placing Bastrop among seven counties in the ninecounty Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area to see an increase. Only Lee and Llano counties held steady, at 3.5% and 4.2%, respectively.

The other counties in the region are Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays and Williamson.

Despite the uptick, the region’s unemployment figures remain below the statewide rate of 4.3% in February. Nationally, unemployment rose to 4.5%.

To help address the local job market, WSRCA will co-host a job fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 at the Bastrop Convention Center, 1408 Chestnut St.

The event is being held in partnership with city officials, the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber Foundation of Bastrop County.

The day will begin with a Job Fair Readiness Workshop, where career experts will offer guidance on resumes, interviews and job search strategies. Afterward, job seekers will have the opportunity to meet with local employers hiring for a variety of positions.

In the weeks leading up to the job fair, WSRCA will offer a series of free workshops at Workforce Solutions of Bastrop, 53 Loop 150, to help participants prepare:

• April 15: Resume building, 6-7:30 p.m.

• April 17: Interview preparation, 6-7:30 p.m.

• April 22: Job readiness, networking and job fair preparation, 6-7:30 p.m.

• April 24: Mock interviewing, 6-7:30 p.m., offered virtually; spots are limited