Hundreds of job seekers lined up outside the Chattanooga State gym Wednesday morning with resumes in hand.
“It’s one of the largest career fairs we’ve ever had,” said Sheila Albritton, Director of Career Services and Counseling at the university. “People have been lined up here since 8:30.”
By the end of the day, Albritton estimated around 1,250 people would flow through the doors.
For many, the road to finding a job has been long and difficult.
Barbara Evans had made a career working for the Postal Service, only to find herself without work after 19 years on the job.
“I did practically everything for them, window clerk, distribution clerk, sorting mail, delivering mail,” she said. “But everywhere I go, people I meet will still say that I don’t have the experience.”
Evans has been on the hunt for work since September, and has begun pursuing an associates degree for paralegal work, which she expects to finish this spring.
Among the companies represented at the fair were major corporations like Volkswagen and Wacker Chemical.
Durell Jordan, a student studying marketing and business administration at Middle Tennessee State University, drove from Nashville with the hope of establishing a relationship with VW.
“They want to hire 500 more people in May,” he said. “But everyone is in competition with each other. Honestly, I’m hoping to get a job with anyone that I possibly can after school.”
Despite less than ideal circumstances surrounding the job market, spirits remained high for the chance at finding work in the Chattanooga area.
Jon Ellis, a former lab analyst from Cleveland, patiently waited in a long line of people hoping to speak with representatives of Wacker Chemical, which plans to hire 650 workers for a new plant in Cleveland, Tenn.
“I’ve just recently started looking for work in the last few months,” he said. “So I’m still optimistic.”
