CHARLOTTE -- The Queen City hosted its first bilingual job fair Thursday.

Twenty-two companies, many in the customer service, health care and banking industries, heard from job seekers at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart who hoped knowledge of a second language could help lead them to success.

“It’s a great opportunity to be able to bring people in from all diverse backgrounds and give them the opportunity to improve their lives, their income,” job fair attendee Rafael Gonzalez said.

Organizers say many of the participants are looking to expand their workforce to South and Central America. Employers say bilingual staffers reflect the community and can help people who may be more comfortable in a language other than English.

"It's very difficult to find qualified bilingual people because every company needs it," Elisa Rodriguez, of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce, said.

Organizers say there was a great demand to bring the job fair to Charlotte. A similar job fair in the Triad in September attracted about 1,000 attendees and was so successful that they are considering making it a statewide event.

The job fair runs through 6 p.m.