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Career Connection Job Fair Held in Crockett

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY –   The Houston County “Career Connection” job fair was held Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Crockett Civic Center. Work Force Solutions of East Texas hosted the event drawing local governments, school districts, area businesses and many anxious candidates to ask questions and fill out applications.

The city of Crockett was on hand looking to fill current vacancies and to increase their database of candidates to contact when positions become available. Local school districts, too, were looking for people interested in the many positions which open from time to time from teaching to administration and other duties. 

Ricky Yrlas Building Official/Code Enforcement Officer for the city of Crockett said he was happy so many people came out to fill positions – even for jobs that may not yet be open. 

“We keep these applications on file for six months. As soon as the position opens up, we’ll go through these first and things pop up pretty regular,” Yrlas explained. “Right now we have a library position,  a part-time position in the civic center. We have opportunities at public works, water department, sewer department and street department. We’re just trying to get folks in here and get them in the system.”

Jalon Peterson from A.T. Staffing in Nacodoches manned his table offering a wide variety of beginner jobs and beyond hoping to fill many of the vacancies in our area. 

“We represent a wide variety of employers, obviously looking for quality candidates and people looking for jobs,” Peterson said. “We want to try to reinvest back into our youth because they’re our future and we want to offer opportunities for them going into the workforce and searching for entry level jobs as they’re building a resume to go into school.”

The Messenger caught 21-year-old Savanah Heersink filling out an application to try and find something different from her current fast food job. She recently moved to Crockett to join her father who told her she might find something interesting at the job fair. 

“This application is for the city and then also to be a corrections officer,” Heersink said. “My mom was a correctional officer for four years. But I’m open to anything.”

City of Crockett Fire Marshal Lee Standley already had several people fill out applications to volunteer with the fire department. While the department has no immediate openings, Standley noted they give training and recruit from within for those full-time jobs. He also noted the department needs volunteers to do many jobs – not just put out fires. Standley said local fire departments are in dire need for people to sign up to help. Standley himself wasn’t completely sure why there are so few people willing to come out and help. 

“I just think it’s society these days. It’s not a volunteer society like it used to be,” Standley said. 

Yrlas noted that regardless of the position, there are some qualities the city always likes to see in a candidate – qualities private companies no doubt value as well. 

“We deal a lot with the public, so we really need friendly people. People who can express themselves, be one-on-one with the resident or whomever. That’s what we look for – folks that are able to communicate well and have a good attitude,” Yrlas concluded.  

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]

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