Kauai Community College Revives Career Fair After Decade-Long Hiatus

Three representatives from the Outrigger Kauaʻi Beach Resort and Spa walked into the Business Education building in Puhi on Thursday with a single priority: filling open positions before their resort's renovation work wraps up. Destiny Kauakahi of food and beverage, Chelsea Fernandez of purchasing, and Aimee Lorenzo of human resources set up at the Kauaʻi Community College career fair with immediate openings ready to discuss, one of the clearest signals of the day that island employers are not waiting for the next graduation ceremony.

The April 2 event was the first campus-wide career fair KCC has hosted in more than a decade, drawing roughly 40 employers into the Business Education building on the Puhi campus. Wilcox Health sent Christine Shimomura from its human resources department specifically to recruit culinary arts students, illustrating how healthcare institutions increasingly hire food science-trained workers for clinical nutrition and dietary roles. The Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort and Spa, Hawaii Pacific Health, county agencies, and the childcare nonprofit PATCH rounded out a cross-sector lineup that touched nearly every corner of the island's economy.

Career Services Counselor Melissa Henry has been pushing for this event to return. "It is vital that our students have a concrete plan before they leave college," Henry said. "We want our students to do more than just find a job; we want them to have a career. Our goal is to connect them with employers who offer entry-level opportunities with clear paths for advancement, allowing our graduates to secure the wages necessary to live and thrive right here on Kauaʻi."

That wage question carries real weight on an island where the cost of living is among the highest in the country. Current job postings in the sectors the fair targeted show CDL-licensed drivers earning up to $27 an hour in Lihue, healthcare aide positions advertising $24 to $36 an hour depending on experience and certification, and engineering supervisor roles at Kauaʻi resorts listing $39 an hour. KCC faculty helped select the majority of participating employers, keeping the lineup tied to active degree and certificate programs in business, hospitality, culinary arts, nursing, and trades rather than stacking the room with recruiters mismatched to student preparation.

Students submitted resumes directly at employer tables, received on-the-spot feedback on their qualifications, and walked away with targeted recommendations for additional coursework or certifications that could accelerate their eligibility to be hired. KCC culinary students prepared and served food during the event, putting their training in front of resort and healthcare recruiters in real time.

For those who missed the fair, KCC Career Services Counselor Melissa Henry is the direct contact at 808-245-8311, with offices at 3-1901 Kaumualiʻi Highway in Puhi. On-campus computer labs are open for immediate online application submission. The Outrigger, Wilcox Health, and the Grand Hyatt all hire actively through their own HR departments between formal recruiting events, and KCC has said the career fair is expected to return annually, giving the island's next round of graduates a standing venue to make their case in person.