Near-capacity community job fair combined face-to-face recruiting, additional employment opportunities in print, and strong online job-search activity
NORWALK, Calif. — August 31, 2026 — El Clasificado and Cerritos College partnered Thursday, August 27, to connect students and adults from the surrounding community with 24 employers hiring across Southern California — just one employer short of the event’s 25-employer capacity.
The community job fair brought job seekers face-to-face with employers representing government agencies, aerospace, staffing, retail, financial services, and other industries. Opportunities ranged from entry-level positions requiring little or no previous experience, including jobs offering on-the-job training, to skilled, administrative, and experienced positions.
Participating organizations included the Los Angeles County Probation Department, Los Angeles Airport Police/LAWA, LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Bristol Farms and New York Life.
The employment opportunities extended beyond the 24 employers exhibiting at the event.
El Clasificado produced a companion EmpleosLatino print publication featuring additional employment opportunities for job seekers. Attendees who did not find the position they were looking for at the fair were also encouraged to continue their search on ElClasificado.com, where additional employers are seeking to connect with Latino job seekers.
The outreach generated a significant surge in online job-search activity during the fair. El Clasificado observed some of its highest real-time traffic to the employment section since the newly redesigned ElClasificado.com launched, with more than 700 visitors appearing in GA4’s real-time 30-minute view at several points during the afternoon.
The combination of an in-person job fair, a companion employment publication and online opportunities allowed job seekers to continue their search beyond the employers they met at Cerritos College.
El Clasificado promoted the event throughout its Spanish-speaking audience using its weekly Spanish-language publication, ElClasificado.com, social media and other digital channels, helping participating employers reach candidates who may be difficult to reach through traditional recruiting channels.
Several participating employers said they were pleased with the turnout and the candidates they met.
Robert Mendoza, a recruiter with HR Direct Services, said employers are becoming increasingly selective in the current hiring environment.
“The market has definitely changed,” Mendoza said. “Employers are getting a little bit more precise on what they’re looking for. They’re starting to become a little more selective.”
For El Clasificado, the job fair reflects how the company has expanded the ways it connects the Latino community with employment and economic opportunities.
“After 38 years, our connection with the Latino community continues to evolve, but the need remains the same: people are looking for real opportunities to improve their lives,” said Martha de la Torre, CEO and co-founder of El Clasificado, dba EC Hispanic Media. “A job fair gives people the opportunity to meet employers face to face, but we don’t want that opportunity to end when they walk out the door. Through print and ElClasificado.com, we can connect them with many more employers and opportunities.”
Among the job seekers attending the fair was Sergio Lacayo of Los Angeles, originally from Nicaragua.
“I’m very happy and optimistic because there are many opportunities,” Lacayo said.
Lacayo has worked in warehouses, restaurants and cleaning since coming to the United States four years ago. In Nicaragua, he was a mathematics teacher. He is now studying for his GED and hopes eventually to return to teaching.
His experience also illustrates the value of partnering with a community college, where job seekers can find not only immediate employment opportunities but also education and training that can help them advance.
“As an open-access institution, Cerritos College helps community members gain the education, skills, and training needed to improve employment opportunities. We also maintain strong partnerships with employers who are actively seeking talented individuals from our local communities,” said Dr. Etelvina Jurado, Executive Director, Foundation and Institutional Advancement at Cerritos College.
The partnership brings together two longtime Norwalk-area organizations located less than three miles apart and combines their complementary strengths: Cerritos College’s education, workforce training and employer relationships with El Clasificado’s longstanding connection to Southern California’s Latino community.
For El Clasificado, the event also demonstrates how its combination of community events, print and digital platforms can help employers reach Latino job seekers before, during and after a job fair.
With employer participation nearly reaching capacity and strong job-seeker engagement both at the event and online, El Clasificado sees the Cerritos College partnership as a model that can be expanded to other communities.
El Clasificado, dba EC Hispanic Media, plans to develop additional job fairs in partnership with community colleges across Southern California in 2027. Locations and dates will be announced as partnerships are confirmed.
About El Clasificado / EC Hispanic Media
Founded in 1988, El Clasificado, dba EC Hispanic Media, began as a weekly Spanish-language classified publication serving the Latino community. Today, El Clasificado connects consumers with businesses, services, employment and economic opportunities through its print publication, ElClasificado.com, social media, digital platforms and community events.
About EmpleosLatino.com
EmpleosLatino.com is El Clasificado’s employment marketplace, connecting Latino job seekers with employers and employment opportunities. Its employment resources complement El Clasificado’s broader print, digital and community outreach.
About Cerritos College
Cerritos College is a comprehensive community college serving southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers nearly 300 degrees and certificates in nine divisions. Annually, more than 5,000 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages 21,000 students.
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