In pursuit of a paycheck

Six months ago Thomas Grosky, of Beatrice, was hired full-time at the Irwin Industrial Tool Factory in DeWitt.

Three weeks ago, the plant announced it will close at the end of October.

Now on the hunt for a job, Grosky was among more than 500 people, including several Irwin Industrial Tool employees, that poured through the doors at the Southeast Community College Truman Center Friday to speak with more than 50 employers at the third annual Beatrice Area Job Fair.

Since the announcement came from Irwin, Grosky said he has been working hard to find a new job before the plant closes. He hopes to find something local or within driving distance to keep from having to relocate as he recently purchased a house and wants to stay, he said.

“There’s opportunities out there, but with everyone competing it’s tough, discouraging at times,” he said.

His trip to the job fair was somewhat successful in finding a potential new employer as he submitted applications and talked with business representatives, he said.

“I feel more comfortable that with my job ending ... there is opportunity to put applications in and there is possibilities,” he said. 

The Truman Center was packed with workers looking for jobs, including Debora Ilic of Beatrice. She, too, was making her way from business to business.

“I’m on the job hunting tour,” she said.

Ilic is currently employed at Irwin in DeWitt. She was glad to see so many employers at the job fair with available jobs.

“I think with all this I should find a job, even it if means relocating,” she said.

At a table in the center of the gym, Barry Windle of Wilbur, currently out of work, was busy filling out applications for assembly production jobs.

“There are a lot of people competing for what job there are,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll find something.”

Workers weren’t the only ones in high numbers at the job fair. This year’s job fair attracted more than 50 businesses and companies both from within and out of state.

Wellman Dynamics out of Creston, Iowa, which manufactures aluminum and magnesium castings for the aerospace industry, heard about the number of jobs lost in the area and knew it would be a good chance to find workers. They were more than willing to talk to people about jobs..

“We’re really growing and expanding, we have more business than we can handle,” Amy Reed, Wellman Dynamics human resource supervisor, said. “Hopefully we can find workers.”

The Nebraska Department of Corrections and the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution also had representatives present Friday. They were also offering on-sight testing and interviews for open jobs.

“It’s been a good steady crowd,” Ava Huber, DOC agency recruiter, said. “We’ve had a lot of interest and talked to a lot of folks.”

At the Tecumseh State Prison there is currently about 40 job openings for correction officers and numerous other openings, said Lea Swarthout, Tecumseh State Prison recruiter.

“There’s such a wide variety in the Department of Corrections, there is something for everyone,” she said.

Deb Sanne, Workforce Development coordinator, said this year’s job fair attendance saw about 150 more people than the last two years.

People were waiting outside in the parking lot at 7:30 a.m. for the doors to open at 9 a.m., she said.

“(The workers) were impressed with all the employers there and the employers were impressed with all the people coming through the door,” Sanne said.