By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Over 400 job seekers attended the first-ever Pennsauken Job Fair, held at the Living Faith Christian Center on Oct. 23. The event, sponsored by Pennsauken Township, the Business, Industry and Government Council of Pennsauken, and Living Faith Christian Center, was well attended by residents from Pennsauken and its surrounding communities. For four hours, droves of job seekers spoke with over 20 local companies, many of which were actively searching for new hires.
“The job fair was a perfect example of our municipal government, community organizations, local businesses, and the B.I.G. Council all working together for the good of our residents,” says Larry Cardwell from Pennsauken Township’s Department of Economic Development.
“This is a great event for our community. Prayers are that plenty of people get jobs and [businesses will] get plenty of employees,” says Pastor Connie McLean of Living Faith Christian Center. “It’s great to work with the Mayor and with B.I.G., just to be able to do this for people, especially in these hard times, people need all the help that they can get.”
Momentum built up for the job fair weeks before the event, as over 180 people uploaded their resumes in advance, looking for positions in everything from administration to warehousing. During the event, many attendees commented on the diversity of business types looking for workers. And as eager as job seekers were, employers shared their enthusiasm. At least eight people were hired on-the-spot during the job fair, and 100 percent of companies that responded to the post-event survey indicated that they found candidates that could fill immediate positions. The businesses and organizations were also emphatic about participating in the next job fair.
In addition, job seekers that were unable to attend the event are still able to upload their resumes for the new electronic Pennsauken Job Bank. By visiting http://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/pennsauken-job-bank, individuals searching for work in Pennsauken can be added to the list that the Township’s Department of Economic Development will be sharing with local companies looking to add new hires.
The planners of the Pennsauken Job Fair wished to thank the following companies for their participation in October’s event: Aluminum Shapes LLC; Airborne Systems; Billows Electric; Boomerang; CRW Graphics; Dicalite; Federal Bureau of Prisons; Fessenden Hall; Great Clips; H&R Block; J&J Snacks; Metro Police; Metro Public Adjusters Inc.; MVP Personnel; Olympus Management Staffing; PATHS; Pepsi Cola/National Brands; Primerica, Ellis and Associates; Puratos; Restaurant Depot; Robinson Waste Disposal; and Tailored Tutoring. A special thank you goes to Michael Hurley of Century Search, who helped provide job seekers with prep materials and questions to ask potential employers.
“As I walked in, I saw a lot of faces out there; you can tell they’re in dire need. This is a great opportunity for both people and businesses,” added Pennsauken Mayor Jack Killion, who took time to address businesses prior to the Job Fair opening its doors. “Thank you for participating and giving these people an opportunity to get a job to help pay their bills and improve their quality of life.”
