Penn Hills Neighborhood is internet hosting a job honest to draw staff and develop companies

Penn Hills residents looking for a way to get a foothold in the job market could do so at a job fair held at the Penn Hills Government Center on Saturday.

The event showcased a variety of employers and services from the Penn Hills and Pittsburgh areas.

There were more than 10 booths lined around the parking lot representing places like Giant Eagle, the Army, Penn Hills Police and Fire & EMS, McDonald’s, the Builders Guild of Western PA, the University of Pittsburgh, and more.

The fair was a joint effort by Councilor John Petrucci, Deputy Mayor Cathy Sapp and Penn Hills School District Superintendent Nancy Hines. Penn Hills Fire and EMS hosted the event. Thinking about how it could help youngsters, the trio developed an event that gave people the opportunity to get a job while also helping companies with lots of vacancies.

“Everyone we spoke to is looking for help and has few staff,” said Petrucci.

Sapp said the fair was aimed at providing options and opportunities for young people who recently graduated from high school.

“We wanted to show them that there are other ways to get a decent wage if you don’t want to go to college,” she said.

Abby Skornicka, the delicatessen manager who represents Giant Eagle, said there was a shortage of applicants. He said it had been more difficult to compete against companies with higher wages.

“Job fairs like this are great because they give us the opportunity to let people know what’s out there,” Skornicka said.

Elizabeth Arredondo, who works for the University of Pittsburgh’s emergency medicine program, said the show was a great idea.

“There is a wide variety of job opportunities here. It’s very exciting, ”she said.

Every hour a steady stream of people attended the event and went to the booths to speak to employers and organizations. Food and drinks were provided.

Jose Guérrero, a recent Penn Hills High School graduate, came to see what job openings were available. The high school sent out bulk text messages and emails to encourage juniors and seniors to attend the job fair.

“It was really nice and not boring like other job fairs,” he said.

Sabrina Tillis, a Penn Hills resident, wanted to see what careers were available related to her sociology major. She was glad she decided to give it a try because she could find interesting career paths.

“That gave me a chance to see some options that I had never seen before,” said Tillis.

Sapp was satisfied with the way the job fair went. She said 10 people who attended were already employed or enrolled in a school.

“I’m excited,” said Sapp. “This is a way to help citizens re-entering the workforce or looking to change careers.”

Tanisha Thomas is a contributor to Tribune Review. You can contact Tanisha at 412-480-7306, tthomas@triblive.com, or on Twitter.