Valley business Westside Tire and Service hopes job fair will help match workers

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – There’s a big hiring event/open house next week in Youngstown hosted by the city.

The event is set for Tuesday, March 29 at Stambaugh Auditorium and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Right now, 46 employers are signed up to be there in the fields of manufacturing, technology, health care and the service industry.

Westside Tire and Service is one of those employers. It has three locations in the Mahoning Valley and needs workers.

“More shops have gone out of business. It’s created a need for more technicians,” said owner Rich Rogenski.

Westside needs general service technicians who work on tires, oil changes and quick brake service. They also need full technicians who handle engine work.

Service advisors who work up front and take care of the customers are needed, too.

“You really don’t need any type of, say, professional training to be a technician. If you have back shop experience; you’ve worked with your dad in the shop all your life and you want to make a career out of it, we’d be glad to get you an interview and get you in,” said manager Bob Kephart.

The hiring event is part of the city’s Youngstown Works collaborative of nonprofits, many of which participate in job development.

“We got together because we wanted to be on the same page in terms of offering training and offering opportunities to our residents, said Youngstown Works spokesperson Gerri Jenkins.

This month those groups have been helping people brush up on their resumes or interviewing skills to be ready for the event. That preparation could make a big difference.

“We do want to be able to tell them here are the people who will be here. That’s what they want. This is what they want., and that’s where you should talk to them,” Jenkins said.

The group that is invited to the event runs from seniors in high school to career changers, even those who want to work in their senior years.

Westside Tire and Service will be there looking for what they need.

“We’re looking for talent, we want to meet new faces. We want attitude, you have to have the right attitude, and we can teach you the rest,” Rogenski said.

More information is available at youngstownworks.com.