Published: June 18, 2009 12:54 am      

ECONOMY: Recruiters meet job-seekers at Lockport fair

Forty-two employers interviewed about 500 job-seekers at the Lockport Job Fair on Wednesday at the Holiday Inn.

Job-seekers ranged from engineers to teens in flip flops. Jobs ranged from Undercover Wear to the U.S. Army. The fair was sponsored by federally funded Niagara Work Source One, which is a blend of business services and job-seeker services.

“We’re getting recent graduates, we’re getting dislocated workers — a wide range,” said Marilyn Behn, a business service specialist. “We have people who are fresh out of school and those working in careers for 25 years. They were laid off or their company closed.”

Mike Aiduk, a native of Niagara Falls who now lives Ransomville, was an engineer in a construction business under contract to General Motors.

“Things are just a little bit slow,” the father of two adult sons said. “I’ve been looking around. I’ve sent out resumes. Construction is something that’s going to pick up again. I’ll keep after it until something does pop,” Aiduk said. “I’ve been out when the economy’s been slow, but able to bounce back. It’s a slow time. There’s a lot of people out, but there are jobs out there,” he said. “There’s still a 90 percent employment rate. It’s just finding that one.”

The collection business is up, and the ACI Collection Agency of Amherst and Hamburg was recruiting full-time collection representatives to call delinquent card-holders to try to work out payment arrangements. Debt problems

“The bubble is coming through. It’s about six months later,” said Marie DeMarco of American Coradius International, referring to the recession. “We get our debts at six months. With the economy, we need additional help.”

Collectors get a base pay and a percent of money collected. “This job is definitely not for everybody,” she said. “It’s desk work with a computer and working with customers, helping them resolve delinquent accounts. Verbal communication is of utmost importance.”

Niagara Cerebral Palsy needs a variety of direct-care folks to work in residential group homes. “We’re looking for people who want to work with people hands-on, to work with some really special people,” said Karen Nowak.

On the job-seekers’ side of the aisles, Brendon Deil and Andrew Moskalik, both 19, are Lockport High School graduates who attend Niagara County Community College. They would like to work with computers. Rachel Pabon, 21, also attends NCCC and was looking for a job with flexible hours.

Robert Walker represented KR Communications of Buffalo, which bills itself as “The alternative of the high price of cable.” KR is looking for telemarketers, technicians and an administrative assistant. “Satellite is booming,” he said. “We’re hoping to hire 30 people.”

KR deals in home entertainment, Direct TV, the Dish Network and Verizon FiOS.

It was a busy day for Appleone Employment Services of Amherst, according to Karen Bush. Appleone is looking for 100 clerical, customer service, data entry and collection workers with six months experience.

Alicia Hale, 28, of Wrights Corners had a conversation with Army recruiter Sgt. 1st Class Robert Cintron. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about it for years,” she said of a military career. “They have more opportunities than other people do. Most folks have one, two, three things they’re offering. This has everything.”

Cintron, a native of Brooklyn, has served in England, Iraq, Germany and Puerto Rico, as well as the states. It is not unusual for a recruit to be 28, he said. The Army age limit is 41.

For the stay-at-home worker, Dianne Sullivan of Undercover Wear was recruiting women to work part-time or full-time for home lingerie parties, romance parties and spa parties.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, ext. 6246.