Sparse Turnout for Job Fair

Employers were plentiful at the Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce citywide job fair. But as for eager job seekers - not so much. 

A total of 16 businesses from Marco and the immediate area set up shop for the two-hour long event, held recently in a Mackle Park community room. Unfortunately, only about 12 people came through the doors to partake of their information and learn about available employment opportunities. 

Mirroring the situation nationwide, Southwest Florida’s business community is having trouble attracting workers to fill openings as the economy ramps up due to the COVID-19 pandemic easing. A variety of reasons have been cited, among them the federal government’s $300 weekly unemployment compensation subsidy, having to homeschool children, a lack of daycare options and people changing careers.

The chamber held the job fair to help address this disparity between employers and the pool of prospective employees. 

“I have to say we were very excited because we did advertise in a lot of marketing channels,” said Dianna Dohm, the chamber’s executive director, with about one-hour remaining before the fair’s end. “But it really says a lot about the job market. We were hoping for more. But I think everyone here is very understanding of the economic climate, so they weren’t expecting a huge number of people.”

The roster of businesses included: A Blinds Company, Blue Zones, Marco Island Center for the Arts, CJ’s on the Bay, Comfort Keepers Home Care, Condee Cooling and Electric, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Sunset Cove Resort, Island Chicken, the Marco Beach Ocean Resort, Naples Community Hospital, Sunshine Ace Hardware, YMCA of South Collier – Marco YMCA, Tuscany Village of Naples senior living community, Verizon and the Freedom Boat Club-Marco Island. 

“We’re very appreciative of the 16 businesses that came out,” added Dohm. “Our island businesses really do need help. The whole idea is to make sure that we help our businesses and that’s what the chamber does. Working Americans make America work. So, we’ve got to get people back working so America can work.”

Michael Gallagher, manager of Freedom Boat Club-Marco, said the subsidiary of Chicago-based Brunswick Corporation is in growth mode, with available positions at all of its locations on Florida’s west coast, as well as Islamorada, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. 

Freedom Boat Club-Marco has openings for four to six dockmasters, as well as dock staff-fuelers and greeters, known as “boat-cierges” because they are the memberships’ initial point of contact at the facility. Gallagher said enlarging the staff is a necessity to enable the business to expand.  

“It all depends on the number of people we can get, as to the number of boats we get to grow a location,” he explained. “We currently service 30 boats and want to get to 50.”

At Condee Cooling and Electric, a staffing shortfall this year has caused the company to limit its geographical coverage area and adding new customers in order to ensure existing customers receive the service level they’re accustomed to, said Erik Condee, the company’s operations officer. 

He said whenever turnover has occurred in the past, it’s been common for positions to be filled quickly. But 2021 has been a different story. 

“We stay pretty steady,” Condee added. “But the last six months, we’re probably down six or seven people. We just haven’t had new people come in the door.” 

Beverly Vince of Marco was one of the job seekers who came to learn what was available. In fact, it was her first job fair and her husband, Keith Briand, came to share the occasion. “I’m just trying to find some work,” explained Vince, who said she’s been prospecting for a couple weeks. “I just finished raising my daughters and I decided to see what I can do now.” 

She’s found the job market to be wide open and filled with opportunities. 

“There’s just all kinds of stuff out there so it’s just a matter of me figuring out what I want to do,” said Vince.