29 Companies Expected at Eastern CT Job Fair

It’s been a few years since the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce has held any major career fair for residents in the state’s Quiet Corner and southeastern shoreline.

“We didn’t to it, in part, because the economy didn’t seem to have stabilized enough to make it worth our while,” said chamber President Tony Sheridan.

But that changes in 2012 because, "the signs look good" in the economy, Sheridan said.

“Unemployment numbers are down and there are more jobs available in eastern Connecticut,” he said. "I think we'll have a pretty decent year."

A total of 29 companies have signed up for the upcoming 2012 Eastern CT Job Fair, which his slated for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13, at the Holiday Inn, 10 Laura Boulevard, Norwich.

The list, viewable below, includes companies from all over the eastern part of the state.

“That’s more than we expected,” Sheridan said about the number of companies. “Our goal was 25.”

Sheridan said there are two main points of interest with this job fair: assisting those who are underemployed find better jobs and assisting the veterans who are returning from military service oversees and will need new careers.

“A number of people, as you can imagine, over the last 3-4 years, have held onto jobs or taken jobs that maybe they are over qualified for,” Sheridan said.

These are people, Sheridan said, who want to move up, but have found themselves unable to because of the stalled economy.

“But the number of companies that have signed up is very telling,” he said. “And it speaks to their long-term interest in expanding and hiring.”  

As for the former servicemen, Sheridan said many of them will be returning this year and in future years and, as an well-trained group of people, there are incentive programs for companies to hire veterans. Also, U.S. Rep Joe Courtney, D-2, is expected to be at the fair to discuss these types of incentives.

“The one thing we owe these men and women is an opportunity for a decent job,” he said. “We really have a major concern here: to make sure they get back into the workforce as quickly as possible and as successfully as possible.”

Here are the list of companies that plan on being at the fair:

• Mohegan Sun
• Foxwoods
• General Dynamics Electric Boat
• Day Kimball Hospital
• The William W. Backus Hospital
• U.S. Foods
• CorePlus Federal Credit Union
• Liberty Bank
• Eastern Federal Bank
• AOK Consulting, Inc.
• Thames Valley Council for Community Action, Inc.
• Avon - Katherine Pollard
• Project Genesis
• Cumulus Broadcasting
• Hall Communications, Inc.
• Sheffield Pharmaceuticals
• City of Norwich
• Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.
• Mystic Aquarium
• Quinebaug Valley Community College
• INNCOM International Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Sonalysts, Inc.
• The Arc New London County