By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN – The township Community Affairs Council is looking for employers of high school-age youth to take part in the 25th Annual Youth Job Fair in April.
The idea is to match township youth with seasonal or full-time, part-time or full-time jobs inside and outside Middletown, said Mitch Gotesky, the fair chairman.
The fair is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at Middletown High School North, Tindall Road.
Employers interested in the fair can contact Gotesky, telephone: 732-915-2445, or John Giordano, co-chair, 732-996-7495.
The event is free and employers are given table space. It attracts 150 to 250 students, “depending on what the schools have activity-wise that day,” said Gotesky, who has been involved with the fair for 18 years.
An advantage for students is they can talk directly to employers and possibly get a job for now or the future, Gotesky said. Workers could be sought for such jobs as lifeguard, model, amusement park, military and restaurant, Gotesky said.
In recent years, there has been an average of about 15 employers attending, Gotesky said. But, this year, 17 have already signed up, he said.
“Things are picking up,” Gotesky said.
The Keansburg Amusement Park and Runaway Rapids water park participates in the fair every year, said spokeswoman Katie Johnson. Normally, Keansburg Amusement and Runaway Rapids finds 25 to 30 workers through the fair, Johnson said.
“We are a local employer,” Johnson said. “We like to hire locally.”
Johnson praised the operation of the fair.
“The really make it easy, especially for employers,” Johnson said. “We seem to get a lot a lot of traffic, which is nice. They’re easy to work with.”
Six Flags Great Adventure also is to participate. Six Flags has jobs available to those as young as 14, said Kristin Siebeneicher, a spokeswoman for the family entertainment complex in Jackson.
“We seek individuals with a passion for delivering friendly, fast, clean and safe guest service in a fun and faced-paced environment,” Siebeneicher said. “Our goal is to retain our team members for many years. We want them to grow with us.
“Our positions teach responsibility, problem-solving and how to interact with guests of many different cultures,” he said. “These are extremely valuable skills for teens today.”
Six Flags is having its own job fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at its Route 537 complex in Jackson.
Gotesky said “return employers basically have told me the same reason for returning – first, our students have enough integrity to be seeking employment way before the school year is out (and), second, they take pride in the work they perform and show up to work.
“They know the kids that come out early really want to work, that’s their opinion,” Gotesky said.
“I think it’s a fantastic event,” said Mayor Gerald Scharfenberger. “It’s been very successful over the years.”
