Employers from all over Minnesota were in Saint Paul on Tuesday at the People of Color Career Fair. The 14th annual People of Color Career Fair was held at the River Centre.

Approximately 1,000 people were there, networking and conducting interviews. Some people were even hired on the spot.

The POC Career Fair Founder, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, said the event marks the strategic expansion of the Twin Cities’ largest career networking event, which has historically attracted the most diverse talent, directly addressing Minnesota’s critical labor shortage.

“It’s an exciting event,” Allysha Comer, North Memorial Health Systems Clinic Supervisor, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. “It’s fun to see people who look like me and come in here meet with big employers they never thought were possible to meet with, and then leave with careers of their dreams.”

The People of Color Career Fair began in 2016 and takes place twice a year.

The next one is scheduled for October 28th at the Minneapolis Convention Center.