Columbia struggles to fill jobs at fair
Representatives of Columbia Gas struggled to fill over 300 positions yesterday at a job fair held in Andover after gas explosions rocked the Merrimack Valley, leaving a need for workers to fix the stillbroken communities.
Columbia sought to hire over 200 translators to facilitate communication with the majority Spanishspeaking communities. However, people only trickled into Greater Lawrence Technical High School yesterday morning, where the fair was held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
One Columbia representative remarked: “Don’t you think there would be a thousand people here?”
Positions were also open for over 50 customer service repre sentatives and over 100 plumbers, electricians and technicians. Ken Stammen, a spokesman for Columbia Gas who was at the fair all day said, “We need the traffic, the more people the better.”
The translator jobs, which pay $24 an hour according to Stammen, are temporary parttime or fulltime positions that will start immediately but do not come with benefits. The plumber, technician and electrician jobs will take a bit longer to begin and salaries for those positions will vary as they require a special skill set.
As of yesterday at noon, Stammen said about 25 people were hired on the spot, hardly making a dent in the 300plus positions.
Emmanuel Charles of Lawrence arrived at the fair to get a translator job as he speaks Spanish, French, Creole, Portuguese and English. He said when the explosions first happened he went around his neighborhood turning off the gas at several homes. Charles said he is unemployed and saw the job postings with Columbia online. “I really, really need the job,” he said. “It would be good for me and good for my family because I need a job and they need me to support them.”
Joe Bourque, a Lawrence native, came to the job fair in search of a customer service position. Bourque is retired, with 40 years of sales experience under his belt. He said he didn’t come to the job fair “out of necessity,” but because he has “strong ties” to the community.
He said it seems like Columbia is trying their best to pull together a plan. “I think everyone makes mistakes,” he said. “Per haps they weren’t prepared.”
Stammen said service is expected to be restored to all homes and businesses by Nov. 19, encompassing 48 miles of infrastructure that will need to be replaced. He said that illuminates the need for more workers who will hold the temporary positions until service is restored.
Meaghan Broderick of Haverhill, whose parents both work for Columbia Gas, said she was motivated to attend the job fair because of them. “I’m seeing them work long hours and I figure they can use all the help they can get,” said Broderick. She applied for a customer service job to bide her time before heading off to graduate school in January.
“I think it would just feel nice to help people,” said Broderick.