The local economy is still in the throes of the recession, and while the unemployment rate improved in March, the number of people seeking work in Lewis County remains high.
Evidence of Lewis County’s 14.3 percent unemployment rate was present at Centralia College’s eighth annual job fair held Wednesday at the Health and Wellness Center, in which hundreds of college students and members of the community seeking employment visited booths and talked with representatives from 52 local and regional employers.
“The turnout’s been great this year, and it’s up a bit from last year from what we can see so far,” said program coordinator Joan Rogerson. “We’re seeing a good mix of people in the community who need jobs immediately and also students who are just making connections for future employment.”
Jobs offered by different companies ranged from full-time positions to seasonal employment. Representatives from Thurston County Public Works were on hand to advertise 17 summer seasonal jobs.
“People here in Lewis County have been willing to commute north for awhile, and even more now with the economy not doing well,” said construction manager Lucy Mills. “We’ve had an enormous amount of responses here so far.”
One such person looking to jump on board with the department was south Thurston County resident Kelsey Bernard. Dressed in slacks, a white collared shirt and tie, Bernard hoped to get the attention of potential employers not just for a seasonal job, but also to introduce himself to a variety of recruiters.
“For now I need a summer job, but I’m also here to get some numbers and some people I want to call for a job down the road,” said Bernard. “It’s been a pretty cool event so far.”
Government agencies also sent recruiters to the job fair to gauge local interest in being employed federally. Shane Gagnon, representing U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the downturn in the civilian economy has caused many to seek employment with the government.
“There’s a wall of security, so to speak, with a job that the federal government offers,” Gagnon said. “The number of people that have shown interest here has been phenomenal for a small community. ... I’ve seen folks from a wide range of ages apply, whereas before we’ve usually seen younger folks in their 20s seeking work.”
Gagnon also noted from talking with people interested in federal jobs that many were interested in potentially moving outside Lewis County should a position come available.
“It’s amazing what people will be willing to do to get a job and provide for their families,” Gagnon said.
Meanwhile, Joan Rogerson hoped the job fair would set off a spark in the local economy and match those who have been seeking work with the right employer.
“We’re really hoping to make a bit of a dent in the local unemployment rate,” said Rogerson. “There are a lot of people around here needing a good job, and hopefully they were able to find something for them here today.”
•••
Chris Brewer: (360) 807-8235
