UPDATED: St. Mary Career and Resource Expo pairs jobs and job-seekers

PATTERSON – As the economy shows signs that the COVID labor shortage is easing, private and public employers came to the Patterson Area Civic Center on Wednesday for the St. Mary Career and Resource Expo.

Traffic at the job fair was reported to be light just before lunchtime. As browsers walked among the 22 tables lining the civic center’s gym, the Louisiana Workforce Development Commission released January unemployment figures: a 5.4% jobless rate in St. Mary, up a full point from December, but better than the 7.8% rate from January 2021.

Statewide, the unemployment rate for January was 4.3%, a shade higher than the 4.0% national rate.

Stan Ceaser represented food service company Waffle House and exchanged information with Tiara Knighten, who is living in the Tri-City area after arriving from New Orleans.

Waffle House is looking for “hourly help and, if the candidate is right, management,” Ceaser said.

“With COVID, that brought a whole new ballgame that we’re adapting to on the fly. That’s the thing right now, keeping everyone motivated.”

Some of the people at Wednesday’s Patterson event were traditional job-seekers. Some weren’t.

Jeri Mestayer, chatting with Sunshine Griffin at the table for Angel’s Notary and Public Tag of Morgan City, was one of the latter. Mestayer has a job with the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections’ probation and parole division, helping people find work as they work their way out of the judicial system.

Mestayer’s biggest challenge isn’t overcoming any bias against workers who have been in legal trouble. It’s St. Mary’s location, distant from the opportunities in metro areas.

“You can always find an employer willing to hire a convicted felon,” Mestayer said. “But it’s hard to find transportation.”

Her wish for her clients is for a local bus station.

Across the gym, David Spencer, the public information officer for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, was also looking for potential applicants.

The sheriff is looking for patrol, corrections and dispatch deputies, Spencer said. But as with most law enforcement agencies, recruitment is a challenge, he said.

“It’s a tough job,” Spencer said. “Sometimes it’s a thankless job. It’s not for everybody.”

But “there are good people in St. Mary Parish who would fit right into those jobs. That’s who we’re looking for.”

Some of the tables were devoted to education and training. Among them was one staffed by South Louisiana Community College and announcing its new Trio program.

Educational Outreach Specialist Joshua Perrodin said the program operates in St. Mary, St. Martin and Iberia parishes. It offers information on getting a college education and financial aid and career counseling. And, although the Educational Opportunity Centers are based on the Evangeline, Franklin, Teche and Young Memorial campuses, students interested in attending college anywhere can use the service.