The Times-Tribune
CORBIN —
By Becky Manley / Staff Writer
Nearly 100 job seekers attended a Senture Job Fair in Barbourville Thursday.
The number of applicants was less than half what Senture representatives had hoped would attend.
The job fair was held to fill 1,400 temporary positions Senture is subcontracted to fill for Lockheed Martin, which is the general contractor for the U.S. Census, according to Mike Fawbush, recruitment manager for the London call center.
The base pay for the positions is $13.34, according to Becky Miller, community resource coordinator for KCEOC Community Action Partnership in downtown Barbourville.
The job fair was to start at noon at KCEOC but organizers began taking applications about 11:30 a.m. Within the first hour, 35 people had signed-in at the fair.
Included among those applicants was Travis Vanderpool, 22, of Corbin.
Vanderpool said he has worked at Laurel Cookie Factory as a packer since August. At first, Vanderpool said he worked over 50 hours each week but his hours began to dwindle around Thanksgiving.
Now, Vanderpool said he calls work every day after 5 p.m. to find out if he’s scheduled to work the next day. Most of the time Vanderpool said he’s told not to report to work.
Vanderpool, who is married with two children, hopes for full-time employment.
“It’s been a struggle, to say the least,” Vanderpool said.
Another job seeker, William Grant, 27, said he’s been unemployed for about four months.
Grant, who said he’s worked various jobs during the past few years, said he lost his job at McDonald’s after he was forced to sell his car so he could pay rent for an apartment.
Grant was hopeful his experience as a telemarketer would help him obtain one of the Senture jobs.
“I need a full-time job,” Grant said. “I’ve got three kids.”
Fawbush said those hired for the temporary jobs do have the opportunity to become permanent employees.
Of the 1,400 temporary positions, Fawbush said 1,200 are customer service representatives and 200 are support staff including supervisors, lead persons and quality assurance. Over 400 positions will be part-time and the rest will be full-time, Fawbush said.
Those hired will be trained for four to seven days beginning in April, Fawbush said. The jobs will last through July 31.
Fawbush said applications can be taken online at www.senture.com. Information about applying for positions is available by calling 606-878-4231.
Applicants must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED as well as clear a background check and a drug screen, Fawbush said. Candidates must also demonstrate basic typing and computer skills.
To be considered for the temporary jobs, Fawbush said applications must be completed before April 19 since the background check takes about three weeks.
Becky Manley can be reached at bmanley@thetimestribune.com
