Solar firm hires more than 100 people at Fayetteville job fair
Daril Davis moved to Fayetteville two weeks ago, and he hopes to have a job with a solar company by today.
Davis is one of hundreds who applied for jobs with Strata Solar, a company that has been doing on-site hiring of construction and electrical workers at all-day jobs fairs in Fayetteville.
The company held two fairs in the city last month, but didn't fill enough spots.
On Tuesday, more than a hundred people were hired between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
“This was a great market for us to target with the military and leadership experience here and in the community,” said David McCollum, director of security for Strata. “There was such an eagerness to want to work.”
The Chapel Hill-based company has more than 200 openings to fill immediately. If they're not all filled this week, McCollum said Strata will continue to hold job fairs.
When Strata came to the city last month, it hired 57 people for full-time positions.
Applicants with construction experience and military professionals were especially desirable, McCollum said, and he was impressed by Tuesday's applicants.
“This has been very successful,” he said. “We're seeing a lot of good, qualified people and I've been very impressed with the military personnel who have come in.”
McCollum said about 50 percent of the people who applied Tuesday had a military background.
Daril Davis said a job at Strata would not only come with good pay, but he'd be able to do something he enjoys.
“I love working outside,” he said. “I love the heat. I used to play baseball, center field, so I'm used to it.”
Davis recently moved to Fayetteville from Delaware to be closer to his sister. He said it's nice to come to an area with quality job opportunities.
Everett Moody was at the job fair Tuesday for the same reasons, but he said it's the above-minimum wage that really motivated him to apply.
“I have the experience they're looking for, and I'm feeling really positive,” he said while waiting to be interviewed.
Moody was born in Fayetteville but moved temporarily while he worked in California.
Coming back, he was afraid he wouldn't make the same amount of money he did out West.
“You can't live off of minimum wage,” he said.
The jobs pay at least $11 an hour, with higher wages depending on experience and the position, said corporate recruiter Dominic Kolleh.
Austin Dial applied in hopes of finding a career path.
Dial has been jumping from job to job since graduating high school a few years ago and said he wants to find steady work.
“I've had a hard time finding something,” he said. “I've just been working odd and end jobs. I'm feeling good about this.”
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