San Pedro Town Council hosts Job Fair

The San Pedro Town Council held a job fair on Saturday, June 6th, at Central Park as part of efforts to fill vacancies within the municipality. Council representatives conducted interviews with applicants for various positions.
The fair was organized to address staffing needs within Council operations. Vacancies were available in sanitation, maintenance, security, electrical work, traffic control, accounting, driving, graphic design, and assistant operations management. The Council said the goal was to connect job seekers with available positions and expedite the recruitment process.
The job fair was held as employers across San Pedro and Belize continue to report difficulties finding workers in several sectors, including construction and hospitality.
Operations Manager Alex Ek said the turnout at the job fair was “really good.” A Town Council organizer also stated that most of the advertised positions had been filled following the recruitment drive.
Belize Rural South Area Representative and Minister of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation, Honorable Andre Perez, also commented on the labor shortage affecting the island. “What is happening on the island as it relates to the construction industry is a shortage of labor. It is not only confined to construction; it is also affecting the service industry,” Perez said. “Right now, even during the slow season, it is difficult to find workers. During the peak season, one restaurant may hire a chef from another restaurant, or a hotel may recruit another property’s bartender because the labor shortage is significant.”
Perez said the high cost of rent is one factor contributing to the situation. He also referenced the growth of Belize’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. “The high cost of rent is another factor we need to be looking at as well. It is across the whole country,” he said. “The BPO industry employs approximately 16,000 people. That has taken some workers out of the service industry. The BPOs are being established inland, and it is better for those workers to stay and work there rather than come to San Pedro. That has also been a factor affecting the service industry, construction, and other sectors.”
According to Town Council representatives, most of the available positions advertised at the job fair were filled. The Council has not indicated whether additional recruitment events will be held.