“We just need people who want to work, who are willing to work and want to come every day and understand it’s not easy and it’s out in the elements and you’ll be using your hands, but it’s a very fulfilling job,” Smith said. “At the end of the day you can say ‘I built that.’ It’s a great feeling.”
Smith’s company was one of nearly 150 at the Montgomery County and Greene County summer job fair on Wednesday at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
Many employers were lined in booths ready to speak with job seekers.
Brittany Cline said MSD is a family-owned business that cares for its employees and people can make a nice living working for the company.
Tony Stephens, a training director with Sheet Metal Workers Local 24, said he is looking to find new hires and has had issues with people not answering him when he calls. He said that he hired someone recently who never showed up to the job.
“You got to recruit and recruit,” he said. “We are getting about as many applications but we are getting a lot less follow through.”
He said he’s heard from employees that employers are not getting back to them, but added that he is tirelessly working to hire more people.
“If you got a ZIP code, I’ll come talk to you,” he said.
Brandon Wallace, who recently graduated with an electrical engineering degree, came to the job fair looking for the right fit. He said it’s important to be persistent and open-minded.
“You just have to keep looking,” Wallace said.
Of the 150 local employers at the job fair, most reiterated that they need more employees.
“We have a lot of positions to fill so we are looking for a lot of different people with different skill sets,” said Betsy Frappier, human resources manager with DAP Products in Tipp City.
Frappier said DAP Product Inc. has added a sign-on bonus and a referral bonus to help get people in the door.
Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge said it’s important to use every tool to connect potential employees to local employers. The Mobile Workforce Unit was on site to help people with their resumes and offer other assistance.
She said the job fair featured companies in a variety of industries including manufacturing, IT and logistics.
“There’s a lot of jobs out there in Montgomery and Greene counties,” Dodge said.
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