ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A job fair in Orange County on Tuesday aimed to help former Spirit Airlines employees and other job seekers connect with new opportunities after hundreds of workers suddenly lost their jobs in May.
The event, held at Lake Buena Vista High School, was organized by CareerSource Central Florida and Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson. It was initially planned for displaced Spirit employees but later expanded to include anyone struggling to find work.
Anya Alexandrova, who spent six years with the airline, said she still carries her Spirit lanyard and badge on her purse as a reminder of the job she did not expect to lose.
“We had an amazing team and I miss them all,” Alexandrova said.
Alexandrova said the loss became real when she arrived at work and saw flights canceled across the terminals.
“Walking into every terminal and seeing that every flight was canceled — it was terrifying,” she said.
Despite the abrupt layoffs, Alexandrova said events like the job fair have helped her feel supported.
“Things like this, events like this … you feel the support,” she said.
Wilson said the goal is to help people regain stability and connect with employers as they work to rebuild after a sudden disruption to their income.
“We want to make sure that we can still attain that for people’s quality of life, for their future reliability on a paycheck,” Wilson said.
Employers and organizations set up booths in the school cafeteria, where attendees exchanged resumes, asked questions and, in some cases, interviewed on the spot.
For Alexandrova, the job fair represented a step toward what she hopes is a fresh start.