Organizers and participants — both employers and job seekers — of Wednesday’s career fair at the Paul D. Camp Community College Regional Workforce Development Center said they were pleased with how the event went and are looking forward to seeing new opportunities arise from it.

Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads, a regional workforce organization based in Norfolk, should be commended for the excellent job they did organizing, promoting, setting up and staffing the International Paper and Western Hampton Roads Career Fair.

It was a great example of something actually being done to help the 1,100 IP workers facing an uncertain future after the Franklin mill closes and other job seekers as well.

Most of the jobs that companies from the fair are looking to fill are either in Hampton Roads or in other areas within a reasonable commute.

In this 21st Century economy, we know that it is rare for workers to spend their entire career with one employer. We have also developed into a migratory society, with people going where the jobs are. With that in mind, it is sad to see old friends, neighbors and colleagues go. But new opportunities here will bring new friends, neighbors and colleagues as well.

We are optimistic that in the coming weeks and months more opportunities will manifest themselves to people in our area looking for work.