MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury College will host a job fair on Monday, Sept. 27, in an effort to unite job-seeking students with local employers in desperate need of workers.

The job fair will take place from 4-6 p.m. at the McCullough Student Center property, under a tent. Participating businesses will be provided a table and some chairs, and employers should in turn come equipped with a list of positions they are seeking to fill, along with details on hours, salary range and benefits. Only vaccinated individuals will be able to enter campus and all participants will need to wear masks for the duration of the fair, per college rules.

Job fair space will be limited and on a first-come, first-served basis, so interested recruiters should RSVP as soon as possible, with a deadline of Sept. 20.

Interested employers must fill out a Google Form to register for the event. That form can be found at forms.gle/aayDaAN5L6v5zdjX8.

The Independent recently wrote about how a shortage of workers is forcing some local businesses — particularly those in the food service industry — to pare back open hours, close altogether, or transition to a food truck. Recruiters are hoping more people will re-enter the workforce now that several federal COVID-19 relief programs have expired. The close proximity of hundreds of Middlebury College students who might want to pick up hours for some extra money has fueled additional optimism among business owners.

Better Middlebury Partnership Executive Director Karen Duguay said on Monday that 10 businesses had registered for the job fair, and she expects an additional 12-15 more will want spots.

“We are pleased to be hosting a job fair on campus for local businesses who would like to attract student workers,” said Sarah Ray, director of media relations for the college. “This is definitely a win-win for our students and for businesses in town — students can learn about work opportunities nearby and the businesses can employ much-needed staff. We are grateful to Karen Duguay for her assistance with this important effort and are glad to be collaborating with her and the Better Middlebury Partnership.”

Anyone seeking more information about the job fair can email Duguay at [email protected], or log on to tinyurl.com/txwyejx2.

Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].