Lowe’s Home Improvement officials said the turnout for its latest job fair at the Perry County JobSight “exceeded all expectations” by attracting nearly 80 people vying for job opportunities in the region’s Lowe’s stores.

“Having job fairs at the JobSight helps us tremendously because they have everything set up for us, have staff there to help administer our assessments, and have plenty of computers available for our on-line application,” according to Sonya Roark, Human Resources manager for the Hazard Lowe’s store.

“Everything you need is right there,” Roark said. “JobSight is terrific.”

Helping successfully meet an employer’s human resources needs is one of the ways JobSight demonstrates its commitment to helping both sides of the workforce equation—employers and employees—according to Jack Duff, manager of the Perry County JobSight workforce center operated by the L.K.L.P. Community Action Council just south of Hazard on KY 15 at Jeff.

“This is our third job fair for Lowe’s, and they’ve told us that we exceeded their expectations every time,” Duff said. “JobSight’s mission is to help find jobs for people and people for jobs, and so far, JobSight has helped bring nearly 300 applicants in contact with Lowe’s who have helped meet the company’s staffing needs.”

Of the 76 applicants, most were seeking seasonal positions at the Hazard store. Some were also seeking employment at either the Paintsville, Pikeville, or Wise, VA stores, Duff said.

Roark said the stores plan to select at least 20 seasonal employees from the 76 applicants who attended the job fair at the JobSight. Those positions could turn into permanent full-time or part-time jobs depending on the employees’ performance and the stores’ staffing needs, she said.

The Lowe’s event was the most recent in a series of successful job fairs the Perry County JobSight has hosted for area employers. In addition to two previous job fairs for Lowe’s, the JobSight has hosted events for local subsidiaries of International Coal Group (ICG) and CONSOL Energy of Kentucky that brought in hundreds of people interested in coal mining careers.

The Perry County JobSight is part of the JobSight network of workforce centers administered in 23 eastern Kentucky counties by the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP). At JobSight’s one-stop workforce centers, job seekers and employers can access over a dozen state and federal employment and training programs and employer services in a single location. JobSight links employers with the right employees through EKCEP’s Business Solutions services and activities.

Roark said having job fairs at the JobSight has greatly reduces the time required to process a large number of applicants. At most Lowe’s stores, only two applicants can complete the company’s on-line job application at any given time. The JobSight’s computer-equipped Resource Room allows up to 10 people to work on applications simultaneously.

“At the JobSight, we’re able to move more people through the process at a much quicker pace, and it just works out better for everyone," Roark said.

In addition to Roark, the managers from various Lowe’s stores who participated in the JobSight job fair included Teresa Johnson, Carl Hampton, Brandie Baker, Gary Proffit, Quentin Childers, Jody Gregory, and David Westerfield.

Crawford Blakeman, EKCEP’s Business Solutions manager, said JobSight prides itself on facilitating successful connections between workforce development and private businesses in a way that produces tangible results.

“JobSight is here to help eastern Kentucky’s employers find the right employees for the right jobs.” Blakeman said. EKCEP’s business services are open to any area employer, he added.

Employers interested in learning more about JobSight services can contact Crawford Blakeman at 606-436-5751, or Jack Duff at 606-436-3161.