Employers at job fair looking to fill open spots

Waves of students and job seekers walked the rows of the Northwest Montana Job and Opportunity Fair on Thursday featuring over 100 businesses and a chance to connect and explore professional opportunities.  

Levels of urgency varied when it comes to hiring across industries with some employers expressing extreme hiring concerns and others finding themselves in a better place than in previous years.  

The event at the Flathead County Fairgrounds was hosted by the Daily Inter Lake, Job Service Kalispell, Flathead Valley Community College, Discover Kalispell Chamber and WorkForce Flathead.  

“We’re hiring a little bit of everything right now,” said Nomad GCS project manager Shean Gross, sitting at the Flathead Valley manufacturer’s booth at the entrance to the job fair.  

Last year Nomad added around 100 employees to its local workforce, interim manager Candance Zumalt, said.  

“We’re constantly growing so we’re constantly hiring,” she said.  

A list of current openings included quality assurances inspectors, engineering leads, assembly technicians, software engineers and human resource positions. 

Logan Health is also hiring across the board, according to the hospital’s talent acquisition partner Amy Quinn. The hospital is also experiencing more stable employee numbers than in years past. 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital has utilized a travel program that recruits medical staff for weeks at a time. The hospital is eliminating the program as a result of adequate local staffing, Quinn said.  

“That’s why we’re hiring right now too, to keep those good numbers up,” she said.  

The hospital is looking to fill vacancies, including imaging specialists, pharmacists, nurses, lab technicians and administrative positions. Nurses are in demand also, Quinn said.  

The goal is to show that working at Logan can appeal to everyone, Quinn said. She highlighted the hospital’s certified nursing assistant program, where people as young as 16 can earn their Montana CNA license. 

The job fair consisted of a morning session for highschoolers and an afternoon session open to the general public.  

A pig lung sat on the Logan Health table, a chance for kids and patrons to watch a lung inflate, as well as other goodies including candy and pens.  

Other booths were also interactive. The company behind Redneck products had a bucket of smoked sausages and the United States Marine Corps recruiting station boasted a pull-up bar for people to try. The Spot, a Kalispell coffee and doughnut shop, had a wall of doughnuts for visitors.  

While some companies report solid employment numbers, others find it trickier to lock down employees. The nonprofit Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana, which provides social services assistance, reported a need for more employees.  

“It’s been stagnant it seems, the applicant pool,” Valerie Camp, a project manager for the agency said. She recounted a slow start to staffing last year as well. 

Kevin Connors, a career transition specialist with Job Corps, noted that the trade industries are also always in need of more employees. Job Corps, through the U.S. Department of Labor, gives young people an opportunity to train in various career fields including forestry conservation, firefighting and urban forestry.  

The fields range beyond natural resources, with entrances into manufacturing, carpentry, welding, culinary arts and facilities management.  

At the job fair on Thursday, Plains High School senior Isaiah Paseman said he wants to pursue a trade after graduation and took the opportunity to speak to employers about the opportunities in the trades. 

“It’s cool to see all of the different job opportunities laid out, but I know I want to go into something more trade based,” he said.  

Spring is the time when many businesses are adding additional staffing to prepare for the busy summer tourist season.  

“For the most part, we’re in a good spot. Right now, we’re approaching our busy season, so we’re prepping with that in mind,” said Amber Stafford, a district manager with Town Pump.  

Glacier National Park Lodges, a Xanterra company, is 94% staffed as of Thursday for the summer season, according to Victoria Nix, the company’s human resource director. Seasonal jobs are posted in October and usually fill up with little issues. 

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@dailyinterlake.com.   

    Students from Hot Springs High School play a drone operator simulation with Staff Sgt. Justin Kjos and the U.S. Army National Guard recruiting station at the Northwest Montana Job and Opportunity Fair on Thursday, April 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Sean Sandersan, a senior from Libby High School, plays an oversized game of Jenga with Alyssa Smith and Harley May from the clothing retailer Buckle at the Northwest Montana Job and Opportunity Fair on Thursday, April 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Wesley Adams, from Hot Springs High School, does chin-ups for a T-shirt with Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Steward at the Marine Corps Recruiting Station at the Northwest Montana Job and Opportunity Fair on Thursday, April 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider