Job fairs recruit road crews, students, stadium and beach help

State contractors are looking for road construction crews for long-term work in the Tampa Bay Area.

“In the next 10 years, Tampa is the focus area,” says Rich Alvarez, director of workforce development for the Pinellas Ex-Offender Re-entry Coalition. “They’ll be long-term jobs.”

PERC is a partner in The Pinellas County Construction Careers Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Pinellas Technical College, 901 34th St. S., St. Petersburg.

“We’re going to have clients there that are looking for jobs,” Alvarez says.

Typically the applicant pool is small for road construction jobs, which involve physical labor outdoors. “Companies are more willing to consider people they might not have considered in past,” he says.

The fair is an opportunity for jobseekers 18 and older to meet with contractors ready to hire for positions like general laborers, pipe layers, welders, carpenters, traffic flaggers, paving and concrete workers, and heavy machinery operators. Openings exist for both experienced and inexperienced candidates. The program’s goal is to boost the number of minorities, females and veterans in federal- and state-funded roadway construction jobs. 

Employees are being sought for the Gateway Expressway Project and other active road and bridge projects in the region. The Florida Department of Transportation currently has 19 ongoing road projects in Hillsborough County and another 17 in Pinellas County.  Learn more about local road projects here.

Applicants should be drug free, eligible to work in the United States, capable of lifting 50 to 90 pounds, and have transportation to work. Interested individuals are advised to bring resumes and a great attitude to the free Onboard4Jobs event. Registration is encouraged, but it isn’t necessary. Learn more at On Board 4 Jobs

Other partners in the fair include FDOT and Quest Corporation of America.

In Tampa, University of South Florida students and alumni from all campuses will be converging on the Marshall Student Center on the main campus soon for three separate job fairs.

The All Majors Fair is slated from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, followed by the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. The Accounting and Financial Services Fair is scheduled on Friday, Feb. 2, at the same times. Learn more here.

Continue reading for information about other Tampa Bay area job fairs.

  • Looking for part-time work? Check out the Aramark Job Fair at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Wednesday, Jan. 24. The free event kicks off at 5 p.m. and lasts until 7 p.m. Attendees need to RSVP and bring a resume for these part-time seasonal, event-based jobs. Aramark is looking for bartenders, catering attendants, cleaning crew, concession stand workers, concession supervisors, cooks, retail sales associates, runners, stand leads, suite runners and a warehouse worker. Positions may involve nights, weekends and holidays. Interested parties should apply beforehand for one or two positions at most. Interviews will be inside the East Galley/Club Entrance. Candidates should enter at Gate B, with the guard shack on the left. Learn more.
  • Be prepared to meet, interview and be hired at the Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce job fair for the retail, hotel and restaurant industries Monday, Jan. 29. The Clearwater Beach Hospitality Job Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Clearwater Beach Recreation Center, 69 Bay Esplanade, Clearwater Beach. The event is free. Register online.
  • Jobertising.com has planned its Tampa Career Fair with diversity in mind. The fair, scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 30, brings together jobseekers with diversity-minded companies. The free event is from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Airport – Westshore, 4500 West Cypress St., Tampa. Jobseekers should bring resumes and be prepared to interview.
  • All Support Services is holding its Tampa Job Fair and Hiring Event for healthcare workers Friday, Jan. 26. The free event will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 5404 Hoover Blvd., Suite 11, Tampa. All Support Services is looking for full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, with openings available for caregivers, certified nurse assistants, home health aids, support living coaches, support employment coaches, and administrative support. Jobseekers must wear business professional attire or scrubs and present a resume at the entrance.
  • It’s time to mark your calendars for METRO Job Fair 2018, an annual event hosted by Metro Places, CareerSource Pasco Hernando, the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and Pasco-Hernando State College. The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel. Candidates should dress professionally, bring plenty of resumes and register in advance.
  • The Florida JobLink Career Fair for Tampa, Brandon and Lakeland area residents is slated from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Clarion Inn and Suites Conference Center, 9331 E. Adamo Dr., Tampa. Its mission is to connect the best candidates with companies seeking top talent, regardless of race, creed or other labels. A variety of jobs are being offered, including sales, management, customer service, insurance, education, government, information technology, human resources, engineering, blue collar, clerical and more. Career and resumes services are available at the free event. Learn more.
  • National Career Fairs is holding a free, live recruiting and hiring event from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, at Holiday Inn St. Petersburg North Clearwater, 3535 Ulmerton Rd., Clearwater. Jobseekers should register in advance, upload their resumes at NCF Jobs and wear business attire.
  • United Career Fairs is planning its Tampa Career Fair for sales, management and business jobseekers from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19, at Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Westshore Airport, 4500 West Cypress St., Tampa. The free event caters to jobseekers of varying experience levels, providing face-to-face meetings with hiring managers. Jobseekers are advised to arrive no later than 6 p.m. to hear company presentations, bring 10 to 15 copies of their resume, look motivated, and wear professional business attire.
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.

Read more articles by Cheryl Rogers.

Cheryl Rogers is a freelance writer and editor who enjoys writing about careers. An ebook author, she also writes Bible Camp Mystery series that shares her faith. She is publisher of New Christian Books Online Magazine and founder of the Mentor Me Career Network, a free online community, offering career consulting, coaching and career information. Now a wife and mother, Cheryl discovered her love of writing as a child when she became enthralled with Nancy Drew mysteries. She earned her bachelor's degree in Journalism and Sociology from Loyola University in New Orleans. While working at Loyola's Personnel Office, she discovered her passion for helping others find jobs. A Miami native, Cheryl moved to the Temple Terrace area in 1985 to work for the former Tampa Tribune