MADISON COUNTY, Ill. – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is hosting a job fair on Thursday at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) to assist former federal workers and others seeking employment opportunities.
The job fair is a response to President Trump’s plans to streamline the federal government, which could impact approximately 42,000 of the 81,300 federal employees in Illinois.
Governor Pritzker has criticized President Trump and Elon Musk, the Director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for their plans to fire federal workers and close federal buildings.
The job fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Meridian Ballroom, located at 6 Hairpin Drive in Edwardsville. A second job fair is scheduled for March 20 at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
Governor Pritzker has directed the Department of Central Management Services to organize these job fairs in response to what he calls the ‘indiscriminate firing of workers.’
Multiple state agencies will be present at the job fair, offering opportunities in fields such as engineering, healthcare, accounting, auditing, environmental services, and fiscal management.
These job fairs aim to provide new employment opportunities for those affected by federal government changes, with a focus on integrating them into state roles across various sectors.