With labor shortages hampering most industries, school districts, universities, energy companies and local businesses turned out Thursday for the University of Texas Permian Basin job fair.
Held in the UTPB gym, it attracted about 36 companies. Director of Career Education Maribea Merritt said 100 students registered for the fair, but more were coming in.
This is the first job fair UTPB has been able to have in person in at least a year. They have had virtual events.
“… I think we’re still kind of suffering because we still have companies that aren’t allowed to travel. There are still restrictions on that,” Merritt said.
She added that it’s better for the students to have the fair in person.
“It’s a more personal feel to be able to go and visit, look somebody in the face and speak to them than being over a computer. It’s just not as personal even though you can still see them,” Merritt said.
Woodrow Bailey, chief of human capital management for Midland ISD, said they are looking for people in information systems, finance.
“The district has many organizations, many companies within itself so, we’ll have a wide variety …,” Bailey said.
Sharon Amaya, principal at Lynaugh and Fort Stockton for Windham School District based in Huntsville, said they have many different campuses statewide within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
“… We are looking for certified teachers, but also teachers who have a trade — plumbing, carpentry, restaurant management. And we also have part-time retired teachers. The salary is very good,” Amaya said.
She added that it is competitive salary-wise with other public schools and Windham is public as well by the Texas Education Agency.
In Fort Stockton, Amaya said there are three full-time teaching positions. Academic teachers have to be certified.
Jon Lindemann, a sophomore studying business management, said he was looking for internships to get a leg up for when he graduates in 2024.
Ector County ISD was also on hand looking for people for positions districtwide in transportation, school nutrition, substitute teaching and teaching.
There were areas set aside for interviews, as well.
Svyash Khand, a master’s student in mechanical engineering, moved here from Idaho State University.
“I’ve been looking for internship opportunities, because during my undergrad, I was not able to get my hands in the field,” Khand said.
He added that his is a new place for him.
“There’s tons of opportunities,” he said.
He added that he wanted to see if there were any companies taking full or part time interns.
Laurine Ngouatou Nguekam, who will graduate in December in chemical engineering, said she got to talk to three or four companies. She likes the engineering program at UTPB because she came from a larger school.
“I actually like the teachers here. They’re really helpful. They care and there’s a lot of research opportunities. I had the chance to do research while I was here last summer and I just feel like all the teachers really care. It is very different from where I was before coming here, so I’m actually glad I made the switch to transfer here,” Ngouatou Nguekam said.
