Bennington, Vt. – The Vermont Department of Labor hosted May Job Fest: Bennington on Tuesday, with employers, jobseekers and community members converging at Deer Park on North Street. The event was the third Job Fest held by the Department this month, with previous events held in Rutland (May 3) and Middlebury (May 19). The Bennington event was held in partnership with the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce and HireAbility Vermont Workforce Partners.
“It is so important for us as the Department to be a resource in helping to make connections between jobseekers and employers,” said Department of Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington. “We know the need that employers across our state have for workers. While we know these events can’t solve the shortage on their own, they continue to be value added.”
More than 200 jobseekers attended the Job Fest, exploring opportunities available from participating employers. Bennington showcased more than 60 employers, which was the most of the Job Fest series. This included local employers like Bennington Rescue, regional employers like Mack Molding, and employers coming from statewide locations like ADA Traffic Control and the Vermont Agency of Transportation, among others.
"The Southwestern Vermont Chamber was excited to partner with the Department of Labor and other partners for another job fair. The DOL team really pulled it together, with dozens of employers and hundreds of jobseekers in one location,” said Matt Harrington, Executive Director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “We know right now whether you are a large manufacturer, mid-size bank or insurance company, or a small mom-and-pop shop, you are looking for workers. Without those workers you cannot be a successful business. The Chamber and our partners are actively working to bring new families and workers to the region, while also working to connect those people in the region with the great businesses and nonprofits of Vermont."
“It was great to hear how pleased employers were with the event,” said Wendy Callaert of HireAbility Vermont Workforce Partners. “Many were able to connect with jobseekers, with a few finding some potential candidates and scheduling interviews. These events have become a great opportunity for employers to find their next great employee.”
The Department of Labor coordinated three Job Fest events during the month of May with a combined jobseeker attendance of nearly 450 individuals. 128 unique employers participated, with 30 employers registering to attend at least two of the three events. Details and dates for future Job Fests are to be announced.
Job Fest events were first held by the Department in October 2021, with events in Rutland and Bennington that garnered a jobseeker attendance of about 200 in total.
More job fairs and hiring events are set to be held in Vermont over the coming weeks. Most notably, the Central Vermont Job Fair makes its return as an in-person event for the first time since 2019. The job fair will be at the Barre City Auditorium on Wednesday, June 1 from 10am – 3pm.
For more information about future job fairs and other resources for individual interested in career services, as well as for employers looking for assistance in recruitment and hiring, contact the Vermont Department of Labor at 802-828-4394 or at Labor.Vermont.gov/Jobs.
For anyone interested in exploring career opportunities in Rutland, Middlebury, Bennington or anywhere in the southwest Vermont region, check out the full list of participating employers at May Job Fest events held this May. To learn more about opportunities, contact employers directly, or connect with the Department of Labor:
- ADA Traffic Control LTD
- Addison County Home Health & Hospice, Inc.
- Addison County Restorative Justice Services
- Addison County Workforce Alliance
- Adecco
- Aflac
- At Home Senior Care
- Avon
- Bart Adaptive Sports Center
- BAYADA Home Health Care
- BEAU TIES LTD OF VT
- Bee's Wrap
- Bennington College
- Bennington Rescue
- Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union
- Bringing You Vermont/Bennington Pizza House
- BROC Community Action
- Brookdale Fillmore Pond
- Cabot/Agri-mark
- Callaert Construction & Landscaping
- Carpenter & Costin
- Carris Reels
- Casella Inc
- Catamount Radio
- Celebration Rentals
- Center for Living and Rehab
- Chippers, A Davey Company
- Clover Ridge Media
- Community Care Network
- Community College of Vermont
- Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region
- Counseling Service of Addison County
- CRCF - Vermont State
- Dailey Precast LLC
- Dead River Company
- DFA Northeast Logistics
- Dometic US Blind Systems
- Donuts of Rutland/Midway Oil Corporation
- Driveline Retail Merchandising
- Eastern Millwrights Regional Council local union 1163
- Easterseals Vermont
- FedEx Ground
- Foley Services, Inc.
- Fournier Landscaping and NaturLawn of America
- Franchise Management Investors DBA KFC/TB
- GE Aviation
- Genesis Healthcare - Mountain View Center
- Granite City Electric Supply
- Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union
- Green Mountain Flagging
- Green Mountain Kenworth
- Harbor Freight Tools
- Heritage Family Credit Union
- Hirshman LTD
- Hubbardton Forge
- Janitronics
- Jiffy Mart
- Job Corps
- JP Carrara & Sons, Inc.
- Kaman Composites
- Kimpton Taconic Hotel
- Leddy Group
- Lincoln Tech
- Liquid Art Coffeehouse & Eatery
- M&T Bank
- Mack Molding
- Maple Landmark
- Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility
- Marble Valley Regional Transit
- Mill River Lumber Ltd
- Mount Snow/Vail Resorts
- Mt. Anthony Consult. Forestry and Stone & Tree Services
- National Bank of Middlebury
- New England Woodcraft
- Northlands Job Corps
- Olivia's Croutons
- Panera Bread
- Paran Recreations INC
- Porter Medical Center
- Power Guru LLC
- Price Chopper
- Red Clover Family Dentistry
- Residence at Otter Creek
- rk Miles
- Rutland Regional Medical Center
- Satori Vt
- Seall, Inc.
- Serenity Spa
- South Shire Inn
- Southern State Correctional Facility
- Southern Vermont Nursing & Rehab / Benington Health & Rehab
- Southwest Tech
- Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union
- Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
- Springfield Hospital
- Stewarts Shops
- Sto Corp
- Sylvamo
- T.J. Maxx
- Taconic
- TD Bank
- The 421 Craft Bar & Kitchen
- The Binding Site, VT Inc.
- The Equinox Resort and Spa
- The Home Depot
- The Karr Group
- The Tutorial Center
- The University of Vermont Health Network - Porter Medical Center
- Tri-Valley Transit
- United Counseling Service
- United States Postal Service
- US Army
- Vermont Agency of Transportation
- Vermont Cider Company
- Vermont State Dental Society
- Vermont Veterans' Home
- Vermont Veterans Outreach Program
- VHV COMPANY
- Vishay
- VMS Construction, Inc.
- VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region
- VT Army National Guard
- Walgreens
- Waybury Inn
- Williams College
- Working Fields