BUTLER TWP — Maybe it was the sunny fall weather, or maybe it was the carry-over from celebrating the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first playoff win in more than 20 years, but many of the employers at PA CareerLink Butler County’s Fall Job & Career Fair on Wednesday felt attendance was a little lighter than normal.

CareerLink’s fairs, held annually in both the spring and fall at the Days Inn Butler Conference Center, typically attract 300 to 400 job seekers of all ages and education levels.

But while job seeker attendance might have been down Wednesday, vendor participation was up, according to John Pileggi, a CareerLink program supervisor.

There were 60 employers, 16 schools or training providers, and 10 organizations and agencies offering supportive services.

Ron Kubitz, recruiting manager for the Brayman Construction Corp., one of the fair’s sponsors, said he hoped attendance was down because “it’s a sign there’s a few more people working and not because people are giving up,” he said.

In August, the most recent period available, unemployment in Butler County was 6.5 percent, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry. That is below the national rate of 7.3 percent for the same time period and well under Pennsylvania’s rate of 7.7 percent.

About two hours into the fair, Mike Pavelek of Vogel Disposal Service said he had received eight applications.

The Adams Township-based waste disposal and recycling operation was looking for a few good people for a handful of positions, ranging from drivers, laborers and mechanics to a wastewater treatment plant operator and an environmental and safety manager.

“It’s nice to see people come here looking for work,” he said.

Pavelek said that too often employers receive applications from individuals who are only applying to jobs as a requirement to extend their unemployment benefits. Then, when those people fail to show up for an interview or first day of work, they are wasting employers’ time and money.

Mary McElroy and Jessica McManus of Advanced Polymer Technology, a manufacturer of synthetic turf and recreational coatings based in Jackson Township, were hoping to attract some entry-level production workers.

Like many companies seeking entry-level workers, they face similar challenges: It is difficult to find qualified applicants who can pass a drug test and then who will actually show up for work.

However, they said along with referrals from current employees, career fairs tend to yield some of the best recruiting results.

While many of the employers represented were looking for entry-level and part-time workers, a handful of professional positions were in demand, too.

Stella Cowan of the Butler staffing firm Specialized Staffing said some of the professional positions most needed in the region include engineers, accountants and office workers with experience in medical settings.

Robin Korneff and Tony Stewart of Butler Health System had a number of positions advertised, including certified nursing aides, a graphic artist, housekeeping staff, pharmacy technicians, specimen processors and a secretary.

The health system also is looking for physical therapists and speech therapists.

Trace Zornes of Harbor Freight Tools also was directing job seekers to his company’s website.

The tool retailer is opening a new location at Moraine Pointe Plaza in Butler Township and is in need of a full staff.

In fact, according to the company’s website Wednesday afternoon, there are 28 open positions for the new location, ranging from retail clerks to warehouse supervisors and store managers.

Zornes said the store should open by the end of the month.

Karen Zapp and Jerry Johnston of the JobTrak program at Butler County Community College represented just one of a couple dozen vendors offering services or training.

JobTrak uses state Department of Labor & Industry grants to rapidly train unemployed or underemployed people for in-demand positions.

BC3 has concentrated on the energy and manufacturing industries, and during the past couple years, the school has produced about 130 entry-level energy workers through its roustabout training course.

Along with the variety of vendors, the job seekers themselves tended to be an eclectic bunch.

Mike Wilczynski was happy for the opportunity to connect with a few banks and health care providers.

Amber Fuhrer of Chicora said she was hoping to find a part-time job in the banking industry or in an office setting while she works on building her own business during the evenings.

Mike Gimiliano said he was looking at a wide range of part-time opportunities.

The Butler resident described himself as a semi-retired, self-employed archaeologist and environmental conservationist.