Summer is drawing near, and that means more tourists will be coming to the Coastal Bend. With more visitors, job demand, specifically in the hospitality industry, is needed to keep up.Thats why Del Mar College is hosting the Hos pitality Career Fair for its students, graduates and community members.Jennifer Gonzales started as Del Mars Director of Career Development in 2019, and she brought an idea along with her.I brought the initiative to my team to have career fairs and college expos, Gonzales said.She wanted to give students and graduates a way to explore their potential careers.Our career fairs are heavily base on the needs of our students and graduates and the needs of the community, Gonzales said.So what are the needs of the community? Visit Corpus Christis Director of Communications America Segura explained.Tourism is truly a powerhouse in Corpus Christi. Its the second-largest economic sector in our region. We have more than 28,000 jobs from hotel staff to chefs, tour guides, event planners and beyond, Segura said.Visit Corpus Christi is partnering with Del Mar College for the career fair through their Professions Across Tourism and Hospitality, or PATH program. This is designed to spotlight job opportunities across all levels of the industry so anything from entry level to executive level, Segura said.But the career fair is about more than just finding your next job.Its about building long-term careers in one of the most dynamic, people-driven industries out there, which is the hospitality and tourism industry, Segura said.So, just how important is the tourism and hospitality industry in the Bay Area? Lets break it down.Corpus Christi sees 10.61 million visitors each year. Those visitors directly spend about $1.5 billion each year on tourism alone. Segura said the money they spend goes right back into the community and into making and ensuring that the quality of life for locals remains up to par.As of March 25, there are 20 businesses that are on the list to attend the career fair. Some of those are the Texas State Aquarium, Visit Corpus Christi, Harrisons Landing, Docs Seafood and Steaks, and even the hospitality group at the American Bank Center. Theyre looking to fill all types of spots, from entry to higher-ups.There is management positions, different main chef positions, some customer service, supervisor positions Gonzales said.Segura said there is a shortage of workers, which is why they encourage as many hotels, attractions and restaurants to get involved and showcase the job offerings they have.Students and community members who attend should bring several resumes and dress professionally in case of any on-the-spot interviews.We have success stories that students will come back and say they received three interviews from attending the fair. Those are the stories that make it all worth it, Gonzales said.The hospitality career fair will be on Wednesday, April 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Del Mar College Oso Creek Campus, located at 7002 Yorktown Blvd. The fair will take place in their Culinary Arts Building on the 2nd floor. Anyone interested in networking, exploring career options or searching for job opportunities can attend.Del Mars Career Fair staff are taking business participation until April 1.If you work in hospitality and need more staffing and would like to attend, contact Jennifer Gonzales at 361-698-2467. You can also email cbosquezavelar@delmar.edu.For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. ...read more read less