If you’re one of the 10,082 unemployed people in Gaston County looking for work, check out the job fair at Central Church on Union Road in Gastonia. Employers will be seeking qualified applicants for a variety of jobs.
Beverly Knits human resources manager Debbie Funderburke tells me that the textile company is always on the hunt for circular knitters.
Beverly Knits is also looking for mechanics, sewers and cutters.
“We take applications for all different kinds of jobs,” she said.
The twice a year job fair has brought new faces to the company. Beverly Knits found a supervisor at a job fair last year. The company also hired a shipping clerk after coming to the Gaston County event.
Spencer Pettus Business Development Manager Brittany Conner tells me the company, which cuts gears, manufactures precision parts and fabricates projects, is looking for people who can program a machine and operate it, too.
It’s harder to find people with the programming skills to give instructions to the computer system than it is to find someone to operate the machine, Conner said. Because the company has fewer than 100 people, Spencer Pettus needs workers who can do both.
Like Beverly Knits, Spencer Pettus has had luck finding employees at the job fair.
The job fair has a range of employment opportunities. Here’s a sampling:
- Customer service professionals/Call center workers
-Tax Professional
- Home health aides
- Firefighters
- Electricians and electrician helper
- Assemblers
- Forklift operator
Planning to attend? If this job fair creates a crowd like the one this spring, be prepared to stand in line when you arrive. About 800 applicants showed up last time. Just don’t be the job seeker who shows up wearing a dirty T-shirt and ripped jeans.
Remember you’re competing with 10 percent of working-age county residents who are also looking for a job.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Bring your resume
- Dress appropriately for an interview
- Be prepared to meet local employers
Notice anything new on the business landscape lately? Business reporter Amanda Memrick wants to hear from you. Call me at 704-869-1839, send an email to amemrick@gastongazette.com or send a tweet shout out to @AmandaMemrick on Twitter.
Details
What:Fall job fair
When:9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday
Where:Central Church at Union Road, 2315 Union Road, Gastonia