Job fair draws large crowd
BUTLER TWP — Whether they were just starting out or starting over, more than 500 job seekers packed the Days Inn Thursday as part of a job and school expo.
The event, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Career Link and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, brought in 66 employers, 28 schools and eight resource agencies.
Booths lining the room represented a diverse range of companies from manufacturing, financial services, and insurance sales to truck driving and health care. Military recruiters and the state police were also on hand.
Most people visited many booths, using a scattershot theory for success.
This was a practice that Pete Duffy of Center Township recognized because he worked in human resources for 12 years at Watson Standard in Cheswick and he would often attend career fairs to take in resumes.
But this time around, he was on the other side of the booth.
"It was a downturn in the economy, a common story. But if you get down on your luck, you won't be successful in your job search," said Duffy with a smile.
At the start of the year, the countywide unemployment rate was 3.9 percent.
Duffy said he is searching for an administrative position and hopes his master's degree in human resources doesn't intimidate employers into thinking he will demand a ransom as his wage.
Things appeared easier for Eric Crum, who ran an employer booth for the Belcan Corp., which he said is trying to fill 50 openings for engineering design drafters and technicians. He said those hired would be responsible for reading blueprints and assembling control panels that would be used to power a variety of things, such as portions of chemical plants.
He expected to receive between 75 and 100 applications that day
Judy Desmond of Penn Township attended the fair, even though she already has two jobs. She said she is a bus driver for the Butler Transit Authority and also works at Gumto Greenhouse in Renfrew.
"I'm just seeing what's available right now," said Desmond, who hoped to pick up a job as a receptionist.
She said health care benefits are the most important issue for her.
Jesse Lindberg, a Slippery Rock University senior, said he was at the expo because he will graduate in May. He was there to look for work in the social work field. He already has sent out 30 to 50 resumes.
Schools at the fair included Penn State University, SRU, the Community College of Allegheny County and trade schools such as ITT Technical Institute and BUDDriving School out of Kittanning.
Daniel Johnston, regional director of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, said a person might talk to an employer and find out he needs special training. That would lead him to talk to a school at the fair.
Then knowing the cost, the person would come to the education assistance agency's booth for help in acquiring loans.
"The biggest question I got, talking to most adults, was 'do I get the same financial aid as a kid coming out of high school,' and I told them 'yes,'" said Johnston.
Peggy Weckerly, the site administrator for PA CareerLink Butler County, said the event, which was the largest such event ever held, was a huge success.
