Looking for a job in Coshocton County? Find out who's hiring
COSHOCTON − Job fairs were once few and far between in Coshocton County, now they're more frequent as businesses are finding it harder and harder to fill positions.
Lynn Jacobs, director of Ohio Means Jobs of Coshocton County, has often compared the jobs market to a swinging pendulum. Currently it's far in the direction of too many jobs and not enough workers. This has been the story since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
OMJ of Coshocton County recently held a job fair at Coshocton Village Inn and Suites with more than 25 local companies. This ranged from small retail and restaurants to major manufacturers. The medical and industrial fields are at the top of employers seeking employees.
"We didn't have job fairs for a long time, just because there wasn't a need for the businesses to have one. If a manufacturing facility had a couple jobs open, which was hit and miss at best, they'd have 100 to 150 applications the next day," Jacobs said. "Now, with that old pendulum swing the other way, these businesses need those workers and are looking for them wherever they can."
Jacobs said once salary was king in enticing a new hire. It's still up there, but many more people are concerned with elements like a flexible schedule, working from home, days off and different fringe benefits, like mental health.
Jacobs hears all the time that younger people just don't want to work, but it's that they just don't want to work the strict schedules and swing shifts Baby Boomers and Gen X always did without question. They also won't do extra work without extra incentive. They additionally won't stick with one company and try to move up. Younger workers are always looking for the next best job, Jacobs said.
"Their priorities are just different than ours," Jacobs said of the younger generation. "But businesses are begging for these people to join the workforce."
Among major local companies currently hiring:
● Kraft-Heinz is hiring 75 production team members
● McWane Ductile is hiring 25 entry level production worker, five industrial maintenance electricians, a safety trainer and a sales rep.
● MFM Building Products is hiring seven production workers.
● PSI Industrial Solutions is hiring three entry level general laborers, two CDL drivers and a mechanic.
● Standard Power is hiring two data center specialists.
● Three Rivers Energy is hiring a maintenance technician, lab technician, boiler operator and production operator.
● Wabtec is hiring two general laborers and a shipper and receiver.
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Need a job? See which companies are hiring in Coshocton County
