GNTC’s Career Fair attracts students, employers

April 13, 2023

More than 100 people attended Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Career Fair on Tuesday, April 11, on GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome.

Attendees included current students, graduates and members of the community who were eager to explore career options and speak with employers seeking to fill current vacancies.

“I’m graduating in May and really wanted to come to this job fair,” said Eboné Fortenberry, a student in GNTC’s Business Healthcare Technology program. Fortenberry said she looks forward to having a medical coding career after graduation.

Dolores Young, a GNTC Healthcare Management student with a minor in the Associate Degree Nursing program, said she attended because she’s looking for a summer job in the medical field.

“Many students said they were able to connect with some great employers and find potential connections for their future career paths,” said Medina Safic, GNTC’s Career Services coordinator. “Some attendees even came out of the fair saying they were going to apply today for certain positions.”

Representatives from Bob Richards Regional Youth Detention Center and Hays State Prison explained that entry-level positions can be stepping stones for other career paths at their facilities or with other agencies.

“We’ve had employees work their way up in our facility from juvenile corrections officer to assistant director, and that’s the kind of employee we want because they know the organization from the bottom up,” said recruiter Viviana Jaramillo with the Bob Richards Regional Youth Detention Center.

“We’re looking for someone who will make a difference in youth’s lives,” Jaramillo said.

Alyssa Logan, nonprofit and volunteer coordinator for United Way of Rome & Floyd County, said she was optimistic that she would meet potential interview candidates for the agency’s case management program internship, adding that she is always looking for volunteers for United Way and other nonprofits in the area.

Students learn about career opportunities at the GNTC Career Fair on Tuesday, April 11.
Students learn about career opportunities at the GNTC Career Fair on Tuesday, April 11.

GENESYS Health Alliance is contracted to provide nursing, physician, mental health, dental and pharmacy care to correctional facilities in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, said Tiffany Holloway, nurse manager Middle Region with GENESYS. She said the company is hiring at facilities throughout its service area, which covers about 40 counties.

“We’ve talked to a lot of people who are very interested in jobs with our company and did not know that this was a career option,” Holloway said.

Jennifer Cruz, onboarding specialist with F&P Georgia in Rome, said the event was the first time the company has attended a job fair at GNTC.

F&P Manufacturing Inc., which manufactures front and rear suspension systems, is hiring welders and technicians, Cruz said. The company also hires assemblers and stamping press operators.

Labrie Enviroquip Group’s plant in LaFayette builds the bodies for dump trucks. Casey Sprouse, Labrie’s Human Resources manager, said the company is looking to fill several positions, including welder, diesel mechanic, industrial painter and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) operator.

“Today we are connecting with potential candidates for our openings,” Sprouse said. “We need to attend more college job fairs to make those connections.”

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma or a certificate in aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 11,601 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,071 students and an additional enrollment of 3,530 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution. 

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