Students and employers connect at Tri-County event | News

Thanks to Tri-County Career Center’s recent Employment Extravaganza, Nichols’ childhood dream was able to take one giant step toward finally becoming a reality.

On Thursday, the school held this annual event, which connects senior class members with representatives from several local business. The school’s objective was to help students secure what could be their first post-graduation job.

Nichols is a student in TCCC’s Firefighter & EMT program. Her first interview of the day was with a representative from the M&M Fire Department in McConnelsville. Afterwards, Nichols stated she felt the interview “went really great” and that she was looking forward to going on even more interviews throughout the day.

This event was split into two sessions. The first session ran from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by an afternoon session that started at 11:30 a.m. and ended at 1:30 p.m.

Attendees were also treated to a complimentary lunch.

While companies across the county have, in general, had difficulties filling positions since the pandemic hit, the employers looking to hire at this event haven’t had such problems.

According to the feedback from many of the employers who attended the extravaganza, the ratio of positions that need to be filled and those looking for work in Athens County isn’t as dire as in many other areas.

Those same employers all had a positive outlook on the current job market in regards to how many people are applying for the positions.

There were 40 different business that took part in the event.

According to TCCC Testing Coordinator, Carrie Arnold, “Each business representative was set up in a different classroom. Then, students would visit that classroom and interview with the representative for 15 minutes.”

One of those representatives was Luke Keiderlind.

Keiderlind is the General Superintendent for Lang Masonry & Restoration Contractors, a business he described as “the largest masonry contracting business in the entire state of Ohio.”

Keiderlind had 15 interviews scheduled for that day. However, he stated that he currently had a limitless amount of positions that needed to be filled.

He elaborated that, “The need for skilled masons and laborers is so great that if I hired 100 people, in a week I would end up needing to hire 100 more.”

Other organizations that sent representatives to this event were the U.S Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Also in attendance were spokespeople from Kokosing Construction, Ohio Means Jobs: Perry County and HAPCAP: Hocking, Athens Perry Community Action.

Jennifer Steward is HAPCAP’s volunteer manager. She attended this event in hopes of finding someone to accept a position at a local food bank. However, she added that HAPCAP also has several summer-based position that needed to be filled.

Steward had 10 student interviews scheduled throughout the day.

While some students attended the Employment Extravaganza to seek out a job in their chosen field, some students-like Garrett Saddler came looking for a way to help them pay for college.

Saddler is enrolled in the school’s sports journalism & new media program. After graduation, he hopes to enroll in a journalism program at either Hocking College or Ohio University.

He sees this event as an opportunity for him to find a way to a job. As a result, he can hopefully earn the money he needs to realize his dream of securing a position in the communications industry.

Just as important as the event is to those seeking jobs, it is equally important to the organizers of the extravaganza

Today was teacher Rob Jarvis’s sixth Employment Extravaganza at Tri-County Career Center. Jarvis maintains that this event exemplifies the level of dedication the staff and teachers at TCCC have for their students.

He specified that, “Putting together the Employment Extravaganza is a year- round job. I know that as soon as today ends, tomorrow the people here who made all this happen will already be hard at work on planning next years event.”

Tri-County Career Center is located at 15676 State Route 691, Nelsonville. For more information about the school call 740-753-3511 or visit www.tricountyhightech.com.