Blaine Stephan, left, owner of Guardian Plumbing and Heating along with a staff member, fields job inquiries at the Lloydminster and Region Job Fair at the Gold Horse Casino that drew 414 visitors last Thursday. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
This year’s Lloydminster and Region Job Fair may put a dent in a labour shortage facing many local businesses.
That’s the hope of event organizer Teri-Lynn MacKie, executive director of the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce in the wake of the fair, held at Gold Horse Casino last Thursday.
“The Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce has been speaking with members. The number-one issue they brought forward is a labour shortage,” said MacKie.
That led the chamber to partner with multiple organizations to host the job fair that drew more than 33 employers and 414 job hunters and visitors to the casino.
Brent Loney, service manager at Wild Rows Pump & Compression, is on the hunt for millwrights, automotive mechanics and heavy-duty mechanics and found the job fair to his liking.
“It seems like a really good opportunity. We’ve had a couple of really good conversations with some nice young kids already,” said Loney.
“We’re looking for young guys who can get into our business. We’re looking for experienced guys, we’re looking for everyone.”
Wild Rows is an oilfield company focused on the repair of industry pumps and compressors with seven locations in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan.
“We are also looking to fill positions in those branches,” said Yael Benyair, the company’s human resources rep who likes the in-person format of the job fair.
“We can have a conversation and they (job seekers) can introduce themselves,” she said.
Avery Roan Jr., an Indigenous business relations coordinator with Bird Construction, had a hiring list as big as the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan he is recruiting for.
“We’ve had quite a bit of interest. We’ve had a group from Frog Lake come by and ask questions about positions we potentially have,” said Roan.
“The overall workforce strategy is to engage with the local First Nations at events like we have here. We go into the communities and we have an extensive process with local trade unions,” he explained.
Bird and 2Nations is a venture partnership with Fishing Lake First Nation, Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation.
There are also a ton of openings for a fine tailings project Bird is hiring for including excavator, loader, grader, fuel truck and water truck operator openings.
“There’s a handful of positions available that we are currently looking forward to hiring,” said Roan.
Tricia Hunter, vice-president of marketing with Bandit Energy Services, gave kudos to the chamber for putting on the job fair.
“This is a really good job fair. Hats off to the Chamber for hosting this. We’ve got stacks of resumes already of skilled labour. Hopefully, we find a few (employees),” said Hunter.
“We are looking for pipefitters, labourers, welders, a little bit of everything. We need labourers in entry-level that will show up every day and be committed to learning.”
Hunter says Bandit can help them get onboard and “lead them in the right way to get their certificates” to be on job sites.
Blaine Stephan, owner of Guardian Plumbing and Heating, was simply looking for applicants with the right attitude knowing it’s hard to find skilled positions.
“We’re looking for any kind of people with a great attitude and are willing to work hard and show up every day,” said Stephan.
“We’ll hire somebody from entry-level to full journeyman plumber, HVAC technician, refrigeration, gas fitter. Basically, any job is available for the right applicants.”
Stephan also likes the opportunity the fair presents to meet job seekers in person.
“It allows us to have a conversation with people then,” he said.
