By Rick Dandes
ELYSBURG — More than a thousand job-seekers converged on the Elysburg Fire Company’s social hall Saturday morning for a chance at one of 600-plus part-time jobs at Knoebels Amusement Resorts.
They came from all over the Valley in search of work — high school and college students seeking their first job, unemployed workers and retirees looking to earn extra cash.
This year, 1,376 people filled out applications. Last year, Knoebels received more than 1,353 job applications at the job fair, said John Jones, Knoebels human resources manager.
By 10 a.m. Saturday, the line of people had snaked out through the parking lot and onto East Mill Street.
First in line was Duane Holloway, of Mount Carmel, who arrived at 7:45 a.m.
Holloway said he was just seeking hours. “I need to get as many as I can get,” he added. “I work security, one day a week, at Harmony Mine. I’ll be applying for security work at Knoebels.”
Joseph Browne, of Bloomsburg, has worked various maintenance jobs most of his life and was seeking similar work at the amusement park.
“I’ve never applied for work here before,” he said, while filling out his application. “But I’m hopeful that I can pick up work here. I need to make some money.”
Retiree Lee Parks, of Kulpmont, was looking for anything he could get.
“I’ll probably apply for ground maintenance work,” he said. “I’m just looking to pick up hours. I need this to supplement my income.”
Jones said, “Among our applicants, we are getting some people who, in a normal economy, would be considered overqualified.”
Jane Garancheski, of Shamokin, was there with her son, Anthony, 14. “He’s applying for his first job,” she said, “and I’m thrilled because he wants to work at whatever they’ll hire him for. He doesn’t want to stay home playing video games all summer. I’m just really excited for him.”
Looking over the crowd filing into the fire station, Jones said, “It’s great to have this many fine applicants, but I have a little bit of a concern that there are so many people, so many good quality people out of work. We’re losing jobs here in our area. I know you hear that nationally, the economy is starting to recover, and jobs are being created, but not here. Not in central Pennsylvania.
“We love getting good quality applicants. Most of the people here want to work. They want a full-time job. They want to make a living for their family, and yet they are coming to us. We’re glad to have them. But I really wish someone would come into this area to create family-sustaining full-time jobs.”
Knoebels is not cutting back on hires this year, Jones said.
“In fact, this year, we are not be bringing international people in to help,” he said. “One reason for that is, we have enough people here to choose from.”
The pay scale for part-timers is as follows: 14- and 15-year-olds start at $6.10 an hour; 16- and 17-year-olds start at $6.70 an hour; and 18 and above start at $7.25 an hour, which is minimum wage. Someone who has been working steadily at the park over the years will start at a higher wage, Jones added.
The hiring does not stop with this job fair, Jones said. “We hire people through the summer. Jobs open up. People start jobs and decide they don’t like it. Some people just stop showing up. We’ll have opportunities through the summer. It’s not just now, we’ll be hiring well into August.”
