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5,000 flock to Youngstown hiring expo
Covelli Centre Job Fair
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Thousands of people were flocking into the Job Expo 2009 at the Covelli Center this afternoon.
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CROWDED FLOOR: Thousands of jobless people packed into the downtown arena Wednesday for Job Expo 2009. Companies at the expo were advertising 1,000 job openings.
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JOB SEARCH: Joel and Penny Johnson of Warren attended Job Expo 2009 at the Covelli Center with their 4-month-old daughter, Lily. Both 31-year olds lost their jobs when Leedsworld, a maker of promotional supplies, closed its Warren plant in April. Thousands of jobless people packed the downtown arena Wednesday.
5,000 flock to Youngstown hiring expo
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN — So much hope walked into the Covelli Center that you could almost feel it.
Thousands of jobless people packed into the downtown arena Wednesday for Job Expo 2009, and each one seemed to think that it could be the day that would end their job search.
Joel and Penny Johnson of Warren slowly edged through the crowded exhibit hall with their 4-month-old daughter, Lily. Their three other children were in school.
Both of the 31-year-olds lost their jobs when Leedsworld, a maker of promotional supplies, closed its Warren plant in April. He was a press operator, and she was an assistant supervisor. They haven’t been able to land an interview since.
“It’s been horrible, especially with four kids,” Penny Johnson said.
They haven’t been going out to eat and have reduced their phone and cable bills. They’ve been making ends meet through her work as a photographer and his food concession stand at a Youngstown flea market.
But both were hopeful Wednesday. Companies at the expo were advertising 1,000 job openings, and Joel Johnson was hoping he found one. A person at the Covelli Centre table expressed interest in him because he had worked previously as a chef.
“I’m just hoping to get something to pay the bills, even part time,” he said.
The Johnsons certainly weren’t alone.
So many people attended the event that the arena’s parking lot was full before the expo opened at noon. Cars backed up along Front Street and across the Market Street bridge.
Police said drivers were taking 40 minutes to get through downtown.
Jessica Borza, chief operating officer of the One-Stop of Mahoning and Columbiana counties, said more than 5,000 people attended the event. About 4,000 attended last year.
The job expo was sponsored by local One-Stop agencies along with employment agencies from Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania. The exhibit floor had 65 companies and 30 training providers.
“My confidence is high,” said Willie White, 57, who was filling out applications.
The Youngstown native moved back to town this week after giving up on Houston, where he worked for 30 years. He lost two jobs as a machine operator in the past two years because companies were either closed or downsized.
Shirley Banfield of Austintown was encouraged that a local bank was hiring a teller, and another company was hiring a sales representative.
She hasn’t had much to get hopeful about since losing her job in June as an administrative assistant for the commercial loan department in the Youngstown office of First National Bank.
“I’ve sent out a lot of r sum s and haven’t had one interview,” she said. She’s also considering training to work in medical billing and coding.
The worst part about being unemployed is not being able to shop, said Banfield, who has been relying on her savings to get her through.
“I have to forget about going to the mall. I don’t dare,” she said.
Steve Floor, 57, of Salem was happy to see that Miller-Holzwarth, an industrial company in his hometown, was accepting resumes. Debra Ramsey, human resources representative for the company, said, however, that there were no openings. She was collecting r sum s for potential hirings later.
Floor was not discouraged.
“Things are going to improve. It’s got to. I’m not going to go hide in a hole,” he said.
Even though he doesn’t have a degree in the field, Floor has been handling engineering work for Salem companies for more than 20 years. He was laid off from Butech in March and lost a job when RAG Tooling closed two years ago.
Among the companies that are hiring was Sovereign Circuits of North Jackson. The maker of circuit boards has six openings, including a sales position, design work and machine operators.
Shirley Holt, human resources manager, said the company has openings because business has picked up in the past month.
Volcanic Heater in Alliance was looking for mechanical engineers and welders.
Pierre Osborne, product manager, said the company is increasing its staff because its parent company is shifting more work to Alliance because of the lower cost of doing business there. The company makes boilers for buildings and liquid heaters used on ships.
shilling@vindy.com