Hundreds Show Up To Atco Job Fair

Pocatello’s newest manufacturer, the modular building company Atco, is looking to hire up to 180 local people to staff its new plant.

Atco held the first day of its three-day job fair on Monday, and nearly 350 people showed up for a chance at a position.

Albert Jones has been out of work since 2009 when he was phased out of the local aerospace program. On Monday, he took in the information during Atco’s orientation meeting.

“Well I’m looking for a job to support my family,” Jones said.

After he lost his job, Jones went back to school for his electrical engineering technician degree through the Energy Systems Technology & Education Center at Idaho State University. He’s been looking for work ever since.

“The search is good. The finding’s poor,” he said.

But now, Jones is in luck.

“Over the next couple of weeks we’re looking to set up a fairly large amount of interviews that we’re hoping to conduct and make hiring decisions from,” said Atco’s Manager of Recruitment Dale Hindmarsh.

Hindmarsh said the company is looking for a majority of skilled tradesmen, as well as some buyers, quality assurance managers and financial experts. He said Monday was overwhelming.

“Can’t say enough about the people we’ve already talked to and seen. But yeah, if we got the same response over the next two days, we’d be overwhelmed. It’d be fantastic,” said Hindmarsh.

Jones said he would be overwhelmed to just stay in the area with the family he loves.

“I have several grandchildren in the area, and it’d be nice to stay near them, but you do what you have to do,” he said.

Hindmarsh said the company wants to be able to find everything they need here in town, and doesn’t want to have to pull in employees from outside the area.

People can apply by taking their resumes to the Department of Labor in Pocatello on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.