Big Bend Job and Career Fair fills ATEC building to overflowing
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald The UAV program at Big Bend Community College was among the participants advertising their program (including its video capability) at the 2018 Job and Career Fair.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Employers were hiring for summer jobs at the 2018 Job and Career Fair at Big Bend Community College Thursday.
MOSES LAKE — There were so many prospective employers and prospective employees at the Big Bend Community College Job and Career Fair that they spilled out of the main exhibit space and down the hall.
Companies seeking workers, government agencies talking about services, prospective employees looking for jobs – more than 70 exhibitors in all. “It’s just a very lot,” said Oshalia Davie, an Atlanta native who moved to central Washington in search of new opportunities.
Exhibitors ranged from healthcare agencies to transportation companies, law enforcement to entertainment companies, food processors, tech companies, retailers to manufacturers.
Job seekers could look for full time jobs. “We’re looking for employees,” said J.R. Abrams, general manager at Skagit Transportation. “We need drivers.” The company needed at least 14 drivers, and when Abrams and safety director Beth Lee figured it up, it was more than that.
There were jobs for people looking for part-time work. Companies looking for concert-season workers at the Gorge concert venue had booths for food service, staging and crowd management. "We get a lot of teachers, of lot of school people that come in for the summer,” said Linda Garfield of Legends, which provides food service.
The job fair was a good place to pick up a summer job – Eliseo Mejia filled out an application or two – as well as a good place to find ideas, learn what careers are out there. Eliseo is a high school senior from Soap Lake who’s already been accepted at Eastern Washington University. He’s looking at a career in the health and nutrition field, but he’s not quite sure what. The job fair was one place to look at the possibilities, he said.
Felipe Pantoja is was looking for inspiration and information, who might be hiring, what jobs might be out there. Pantoja is a BBCC student and wants a career in automotive repair, he said.
Davie is a student in BBCC’s medical assistant program. There are a lot of directions that career can take her, she said, and she wanted to explore the options available. The job fair provided a lot of options. “It’s helpful. It’s very helpful.”
Abrams said an event like the job fair gives employers a chance to get the word out about their businesses, especially in a good economy. Rob West of Grant Integrated Services said the agency has open positions right now. “We’re here to present that and talk about services we provide,” he said.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.