Marble Falls job fair May 28 aims to improve business, quality of life
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — As Bill Rives, executive director of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce, read a story about Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, an idea came to him: a Marble Falls job fair for all ages.
The chamber and the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. are teaming up with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area to co-sponsor the fair, which is 4-7 p.m. May 28 at Lakeside Pavilion, 307 Buena Vista.
Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area is a community alliance that gives no-cost recruitment and employment services to job seekers and businesses in a nine-county area, including Burnet and Llano counties.
“I was watching what they were doing and thought we needed to have a job fair,” Rives said. “You go to a restaurant or another business and see ‘Help Wanted’ signs. We thought it would be a good thing for our chamber to get involved in, and we talked to the EDC.”
Some of the 16 businesses that have committed to participate include Double Horn Brewing Co., H-E-B, The Home Depot, Horseshoe Bay Resort, Mickey West Career Assets/Central Texas College, Baylor-Scott & White Health and WalMart.
EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher said a strong local workforce helps the community in so many ways.
He pointed out that when people get good service and are treated well, they purchase products and leave a business content. When they receive great service, they return to that business, bring their family and friends and tell others about their positive experience. They also tend to be equally vocal when they feel they don’t receive good service.
“That (positive) word-of-mouth is invaluable and helps the business and the city by extension,” Fletcher said. “You can’t pay for that kind of advertising.”
When businesses have enough employees for a full shift, it speeds up service time. Fletcher said the amount of time it takes for people to be able to buy their goods influences their decisions on where to go purchase those items.
Employment opportunities with advancement possibilities and better pay enhance the quality of life for a community, Fletcher added.
There’s a perception that Marble Falls is challenged when it comes to having a strong workforce, he said. And that impression limits the number of new businesses from opening in the community, he added.
A job fair is an event with which EDC should be involved, Fletcher said, to improve residents’ quality of life and the business community.
“We want to put businesses in touch with people who need to fill those jobs,” he said. “We have people who want to be able to work. That’s something we need to be involved with.”
Go to www.workforcesolutionsrca.com for more information.
jfierro@thepicayune.com