Mascaro employment center off to a good start
40 employees hired in first 7 days
POTTSTOWN » J.P. Mascaro & Sons hired 40 employees in the first 7 days of operation of its Pottstown recruiting and training center.
The office at 221 E. High St. opened Sept. 17 to serve as a hub to hire and train employees for the solid waste and recycling company’s expanding Berks County operations.
“It took off faster than I thought it would happen,” Mascaro HR Manager Lynnda Petrucelli said in an interview. “The word is getting out there. People are coming in and saying they heard about it from friends and family — heard about what we’re doing.”
Since opening, Petrucelli said the office gets anywhere between six and 10 walk-ins each day — people looking for information or to apply for open positions.
Most of the positions filled so far have been drivers helpers, assigned to work out of Mascaro’s facility on W. Neversink Road in Exeter.
And for those positions, employees have been hired on the spot — and started work the next day.
Starting on the first day, and every day since, Petrucelli said she has interviewed prospective employees in the morning and held orientation sessions in the afternoon for the new hires.
While the majority of the new hires have been driver’s assistants, the Pottstown recruiting and training center is also hiring to fill CDL Class A and Class B drivers, diesel mechanics, service technicians as well as corporate positions across the company, according to Petrucelli.
“We’re more than just a laborer recruitment office. We also staff for administrative, corpo-
rate and other positions,” she said, adding that some positions, like CDL drivers will require additional time for the hiring process to be completed.
Most of the people coming in have been from Pottstown, according to Petrucelli.
“Transportation is key to the success of this office,” she said.
J.P. Mascaro is providing transportation for those employees hired for work locations in Berks County. The new employees are picked up at the Pottstown Mascaro office at 5:30 a.m., and returned at the end of their shift.
Right now the van is going to the company’s hauling decision on W. Neversink Road in Exeter. Petrucelli said as hiring continues, she expects transportation to the TotalRecycle facility on Lincoln Road and Pioneer Crossing Landfill — both in Exeter — will be added.
J.P. Mascaro is providing transportation because public transportation to the Berks facilities is lacking.
“We don’t have these issues with our other facilities — our other divisions are accessible by train or bus,” said Frank Sau, spokesman for J.P. Mascaro & Sons. “We’re doing as many things as we can to solve our own issues. If transportation is an issue we’re trying to solve that. There is a benefit to the community.”
Petrucelli said in addition to prospective employees, she has had numerous members of the downtown business community stop by as well. Among those that have visited the new Mascaro office is Nancy March, program director for Pottstown Works at the Salvation Army of Pottstown.
Pottstown Works is a program that helps its clients overcome barriers to finding and keeping a job. Through its Job Readiness Workshop, the program teaches clients professionalism and job retention skills.
March said she sees the potential for the two organizations to work together to boost retention and advancement by providing employees with better soft skills.
“We could be a partner down the road in training some of their recruits in retention and communication skills,” March said.
The Pottstown Works webpage mentions the lack of transportation as being a barrier to getting and keeping a job. She said that because Mascaro is providing transportation to jobs, that makes the company a good partner for Pottstown Works.
“I have talked to other companies that are contemplating transportation services from Pottstown. Mascaro may be the example other companies can see and follow,” March added.
Hours of operation for the Pottstown J.P. Mascaro & Sons recruiting and training center are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office can be reached by calling 484-624-3873. For more information about job opportunities at J.P Mascaro & Sons visit www.jpmascaro. com/careers/.
Starting on the first day, and every day since, Petrucelli said she has interviewed prospective employees in the morning and held orientation sessions in the afternoon for the new hires.