Employers were highly visible and actively recruiting for open positions Tuesday June 6 at the Washington County Convention Center during the 2023 Greenville Regional Job Fair. More than three dozen companies representing various industries such as hospitality, healthcare and higher education came together through a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and the Washington County Economic Alliance. “We’ve been doing this for at least five years with the Economic Alliance and nine to 10 years overall,” said Adam Todd, Director of the Governor’s Job Fair Network. “We go where we are invited and often come to Washington County.”
Angelica D. Motton, Workforce and Special Programs Coordinator for the Economic Alliance said that 44 companies registered to be a part of the event and that by the last scheduled hour of the job fair more than 300 job seekers had engaged various employers inside the convention center arena. “We actually have a few employers who hire on the spot,” Motton said. “There was one woman who was walking out saying, “praise the Lord! I got the job and I start today!”
Job seekers were asked beforehand to bring their updated resumes and identifications to get the application process off to a great start. Some employers like the Trop Casino and Octapharma had several vacancies but required a little more background screening. Nevertheless, these formalities would probably be worth the wait. “We are looking to fill positions for cage cashiers, security, food service and director of casino operations,” said Dottie Calloway Jones, HR Generalist for Trop Casino. “We don’t necessarily need a lot of prior experience because there is quite a bit of on-the-job training in every career field. To work in the casino industry, you must be at least 21 years old.”
Taliyah Willliams expressed interest in a few of the positions awaiting new applicants. “I’m just taking a look at all of the options,” Williams said. “I really like the fact that there is training once you become employed.”
Joshua Copeland represented the international blood plasma donation organization, Octapharma on Tuesday. He said, “There has been pretty good interest in working for us and we have several positions open such as phlebotomist, nursing and clerical.”
The two major partnering agencies underscored the two primary benefits of having a diverse set of organizations eager to take on new employees under one roof. “There are positions for people at all stages of their work life and careers,” Motton said. “Whether you’re an 18 year old just getting started in the workforce or an experienced worker, there is something available for all those who seek employment.”
Todd concurred. “When people apply for jobs these days on the world wide web, you never know who is receiving your information on the other end. But, when you come to an event like the Greenville Regional Job Fair, you’re able to sell yourself and make contact with real people who represent these organizations,” Todd added.
