LYNNWOOD—Nearly 300 people attended the first K-Fair Job Fair on Saturday, May 2, at the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center, that connected the Korean American community and other job seekers with employment opportunities in Snohomish County.
“As the first ever job fair hosted by GSKA and the broader Korean community, not only equity achieved for both employers and prospective employees alike but also access trust,” Chairman Sam Sim told the Lynnwood Times. “Communication was more or so developed by our AANHPI community and other communities of color to build trust with their future employers.”
The K-Fair was hosted by the Greater Seattle Korean Association (GSKA) and Edmonds College in partnership with the City of Lynnwood and Lynnwood Core. Sponsors included the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce, Sound Transit, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and WaFed Bank.
Opening remarks featured six local leaders: Won Jun Kim, president of the Greater Seattle Korean Association; Nate Nehring, Snohomish County Council Vice President; Grace Yoo, Executive Director of Snohomish Economic Development; George Hurst, Mayor of Lynnwood; Jason Moon, Mukilteo City Council President; and Cheol Kang, Chief of Community Programs and Services for the King County Sheriff’s Office.
A featured panel discussion explored the theme “Connecting Community Through New Opportunities.” The panel addressed workforce trends in the region, the role of AANHPI and communities of color in leadership, barriers to employment, the impact of AI and automation on future jobs, and practical advice for job seekers and youth entering the workforce.
Panelists included Frank Percival, President and CEO of the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce; Anne Penny, Business Outreach Coordinator at Edmonds College; Bryce Owings, union Carpenter, pre-apprenticeship instructor with Carpenters Local 425 and Lynnwood City Councilman, and Edmonds College; James Werth, Marketing Manager for Edmonds College’s Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center and Washington Aerospace Training & Research Center; and Sam Samano, Rapid Response Manager and Business Engagement Specialist with Workforce Snohomish.
The fair also included a separate information session by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries offered guidance on worker rights in both Korean and English.
Author: Mario Lotmore
