(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — The City of Erie is hosting a hiring event for women only on Wednesday, March 22. The city is highlighting positions available in first-responder departments.

Since 2020, the city has been focusing on the diversity of its police and fire department candidates. The city set a goal to increase by 15% the black, indigenous, people of color and female candidates who were taking the written and physical agility tests. “This was done to ensure that the police and fire departments more closely remember the people served by the city,” a city social media post said. Since 2020, those goals have been exceeded.

“By hosting this women-only event, the police and fire departments will take another step toward increasing the diversity in their departments,” the social media post said.

The women-only career fair will be 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Erie High School, 3325 Cherry Street. Potential applicants will have the chance to meet with female representatives from the Erie police and fire departments.

Information will be presented about the application periods for both departments, the costs of the applications, testing dates, salaries and benefits.

“I believe this career fair will continue to increase the number of women in these two departments which will ensure that our police and fire departments are more representative of the people we serve,” Mayor Joe Schember said in the city’s social media post.