SPRINGFIELD — Hundreds of people are expected to attend MassHire Springfield Career Center’s Job Expo on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Forty to 50 companies are expected to attend the event, which will run from 4 to 7 p.m.

Employers will be hiring to fill hundreds of openings. Job seekers will have opportunities available in many different industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, social services, education, and banking. The Job Expo is held in Center Court and is open to the public, providing an opportunity for applicants to meet recruiters face to face.

The turnout is expected to mirror a growing trend of increasing numbers of job seekers attending recruiting events. “Our October Job Expo had 617 job seekers show up to meet with 54 employers,” said Kevin Lynn, executive director of MassHire Springfield Career Center. “This was the largest group of job seekers since before the start of COVID in 2020. Local companies continue to hire, with many struggling to find the right candidates.”

Job expos give people the chance to make positive impressions on prospective employers while at the same time having the opportunity to learn about career paths and corporate culture. This helps job seekers determine which organizations are the best fit for them. Recruiters find face-to-face events useful in screening candidates and selling their opportunities to prospective applicants. The ability to make these connections is why job expos remain popular with businesses.

Located at 95 Liberty St., MassHire Springfield Career Center served more than 11,000 job seekers and 1,600 business last fiscal year. It provides people with job search assistance and access to skills training, and its business services include no-cost job postings and recruiting events. A list of companies and positions available at the Feb. 3 Job Expo can be found at masshirespringfield.org.