Local businesses to attend for job fair

Tom Emerson (left), a job-seeker from Pleasanton, talks with Walmart Store Manager Paul Wright about jobs available at regional Walmart stores during a job fair in May hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. The chamber will host another job fair on Nov. 10 at the same location. (Tribune File Photo)

Several area businesses will be looking to fill some positions when they talk to applicants at an upcoming job fair hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

The event will give area job-seekers a chance to talk with representatives of a variety of participating businesses about available positions and possible employment. It is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the Fort Scott Community College campus, 2108 S. Horton.

FSACC Executive Director Lindsay Madison said there was interest in the community in organizing another job fair in the fall after the success of a job fair hosted by the chamber this spring. Organizers said 10 local businesses participated in that event, which had a good turnout.

Many of the businesses that participated in that event gave positive feedback and found some prospective employees, Madison said.

Southeast KANSASWORKS, a workforce program administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, is helping to organize the fair. The organization will have a booth set up at the event and a representative will answer any questions from employers or applicants.

Madison said the job fair is open to all job-seekers including community applicants, high school and college students.

"We encourage anybody to come out who's looking for a position," she said. "There are a vast variety of positions available."

As of Tuesday, six area businesses had signed up to have a booth at the job fair. Any area employers seeking temporary, full-time or part-time employees were invited to participate in the event. Participating businesses come from not only Fort Scott and Bourbon County, but surrounding towns as well, Madison said.

"Last time, a company from Nevada (Mo.) had a booth," she said. "This time, a company from Pittsburg has a booth. It draws businesses from the area as well."

Companies participating include Arkinson Industries in Pittsburg, and Carlisle Transportation Products, The Epoch Group, H & H Publishing, Klein Products and Peerless Products in Fort Scott.

About 20 different types of positions will be available ranging from claims examiners, data entry clerks, accounting clerks and Information Technology support, to welders and machinists. Job-seekers are encouraged to bring a copy of their resumé with them to the event.

Madison said organizers hope to hold a job fair at least annually and possibly twice a year.