Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Many in the crowd of nearly 650 people got some good news Thursday from an employment official.
“There are jobs out there, and jobs are being offered today,” said Steve Andersen, regional area coordinator of IowaWorks Loess Hills. “That should provide hope now and in the future.”
In response to coming layoffs at the Tyson Foods plant in Council Bluffs, IowaWorks, with help from Tyson, hosted Thursday’s job fair at the Omni Business Centre. IowaWorks is part of the state’s Iowa Workforce Development agency.
Tyson officials announced in January that some 480 jobs would be cut at the plant. Monday is to be the last day for those workers. Ending one shift at the Bluffs plant will reduce the plant’s workforce to about 820.
“A lot of employers contacted Tyson and us to inquire about attending this event,” Andersen said.
The event was set to start at 1 p.m., but some couldn’t wait.
“I started talking to people at 12:30 p.m.,” said Mary Pierce of Alegent Health.
By 2:15 p.m., she had discussed Alegent employment opportunities with some 100 job seekers, she said.
“We have 230 open positions,” Pierce said, ranging from nurses to food service and maintenance.
About 35 firms attended the fair, some coming from as far as Spencer, Iowa, and St. Joseph, Mo. Among those attending were ConAgra Foods, First Data, Home Depot, Omaha Steaks, Omaha Print, Lozier Corp., and Ameristar and Harrah’s casinos.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
