Employers meet hiring candidates at job fair

May 28--You've heard of a wedding planner.

How about a funeral planner?

There was one at the fourth annual Times-Shamrock Job Fair held Wednesday at Capriotti's Palazzo in McAdoo Industrial Park.

Allen Dryzal of the Dryzal Group, Scranton, is the local agent for Lincoln Heritage Insurance Co., a final expense insurance company.

His company provides life insurance, combined with allowing an individual to plan their own funeral -- to take the burden away from loved ones during an emotional time.

"We ask you to write down all of your funeral wishes, what services you want, who you want to handle them, the funeral home, cemetery, all the way down to who you want to take care of your pets when you're gone," Dryzal said.

"At the time of death, your family makes one phone call to our company. At that time, we handle everything. We call the funeral director, make all the arrangements, make sure everything runs as smooth as possible."

The company even compares prices to make sure their customer is getting the best deal.

"We can save the family money by doing that," Dryzal said.

In order to provide the service, Dryzal's firm needs Pennsylvania-certified insurance underwriters, for which Dryzal will provide training to take the state test to become certified.

Dryzal said Lincoln Heritage is in 49 of the 50 states.

"We have about 4,000 clients in the state of Pennsylvania who have requested information," Dryzal said. "We need more agents."

Trades big again

But while insurance jobs were available, the recurring theme at this year's event was the continuing call for construction workers.

Randy Zimmerman, training coordinator for Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Schnecksville, Lehigh County, said the school can't pump out electromechanical and CNC machining graduates fast enough.

"These programs tend to be short-term training, something you can get done in six months to a year," Zimmerman said. "We're seeing our graduates coming out and being able to start at $60,000 to $70,000 a year."

Zimmerman said the demand comes from new manufacturing opportunities.

"We are definitely seeing the manufacturing jobs coming back to the Lehigh Valley, maybe not in the big form of Bethlehem Steel or Mack Trucks, but you're getting smaller companies that need 20 guys here, 40 guys there," he said. "These smaller companies are starting to add up."

Other areas of growth are CDL truck driver training, heavy equipment operation and logistics forklift operation.

"With the warehousing and transportation network in the Lehigh Valley, it's booming. Up here, too," he said.

Students graduating with four-year degrees with no job are also turning to the trades, Zimmerman said.

"They are willing to do that, because there is nothing out there in their given major," Zimmerman said. "Unfortunately, some of the skill levels of companies coming to the area are not being met. Then you're playing catch-up trying to get them trained properly."

Icon, a firm involved in industrial construction based at Lake Winola near Scranton, was at the fair looking for electrical, millwrights, and CNC machinists and fabricators.

"We do a lot of work in this area as a subcontractor," said Stacey Stone, human resources manager.

Growth opportunities

Progressive Converting, also known as Pro-Con, a paper converting operation in Humboldt Industrial Park, was looking for the same kind of workers, according to Bob Gresh, human resources manager.

"We are recruiting for growth," Gresh said. "We are looking for electromechanical techs and a safety specialist. We like to see three to five years experience in light industrial. Experience in a distribution center or a warehouse is also helpful, but not necessary."

Michael Cuff, admissions representative at McCann's School of Business and Technology, said the newest McCann program is currently its most popular -- welding technology.

"It is very popular," Cuff said. "It seems to be what everybody is looking for. There seems to be a lot of opportunity. Anybody that is looking for a new career needs to be look at the trades."

Cornell Iron Works, Crestwood Industrial Park, Mountain Top, was looking to fill production positions.

"We are looking for assembly workers and welders," said Janine Yanoski, a company representative. "It is great if they have previous manufacturing experience, but we do train in-house. They don't necessarily have to have prior experience."

Fortis in Forty Fort was at the fair to advertise its short-term training programs.

"We are looking for people who want some short-term training in fields where we know there are job opportunities in our area," said Jane Austin, director of admissions. "One of those fields is truck driving. The medical fields and trades are others. We can get the people in, trained in the field they will enjoy and assist them in finding jobs in the field they went to school for in less than a year."

Karchner Logistics has such a need for CDL truck drivers that they are willing to train them.

"We're always looking for good drivers," said Joe Muskey, the firm's director of safety. "The insurance companies regulate our industry. They want guys that have experience. That's the biggest problem we have, getting experienced guys. Our drivers make very good money. It's a matter of having the experience."

So Karchner provides its own training -- knowing it will have to replace a good portion of its workforce in the near future.

"Most of our industry is 50 years old," Muskey said. "We will need 50 percent of the field. We have agreements with some of the trade schools to bring people in and we work with them for three months in one job, three months in another, then we go to six months. We're trying to get them the experience required by the insurance companies before they'll put them out on the road."

Likewise, Gary Potter safety and recruiting coordinator for Fanelli Trucking is always looking for drivers.

Looking for work

Dalton Babcock, West Hazleton, with bachelor's degrees in sociology and philosophy, and Vanessa Smith, Hazleton, with a bachelor's in geography and a concentration in environmental studies, were looking for a job.

"We just got out of college, and we are looking for anything," Babcock said. "We're being as open-minded as we can be. We don't really have the room to be picky. Any job is a good job until we can find something more applicable to our degrees. Who knows how long that will take?"

Smith said it is difficult finding that first job.

"A lot of jobs that say entry level, they still want four or five years' experience," she said. "How do you get that?"

Michael Zielepuza Tresckow, was looking for "a permanent, full-time position."

He has experience as a machinist in the auto industry and as an on-air radio personality in western Pennsylvania.

"I have experience in writing news for six different radio stations," he said. "That's what I want to do, writing."

A variety

There was a variety of industrial, educational and health care firms along the 56 companies at this year's fair.

Osmose, the major sponsor of the job fair, is a firm involved in the construction industry.

"We were here last year, and we've had great success," said Alicia Lemonier, recruiting and hiring coordinator. "We have lot of work with PPL. We are looking for good people. It's outdoor work, it's physical work."

Poly Plastics in Delano was looking for packaging personnel to fill some of its 12-hour shifts.

The firm doesn't require a high school diploma, said Donna McGowan, human resources manager.

"A diploma is not necessary as long as they have basic math skills and can read and write," she said. "We have immediate positions and are trying to get 10 or 12 people. We have been in the area for over 30 years."

McGowan said the firm chose this job fair because of "location."

"We are trying to draw some of the Hazleton people down. We want to show them we're not that far away," McGowan said.

Among health care companies was Caregivers America.

"We are looking for home health aides, LPNs, RNs, CNAs who will work around here," said Heather Hinkson, care coordinator at the firm's Lehighton office.

[email protected]

___

(c)2015 the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.)

Visit the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pa.) at standardspeaker.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.