Utilimaster holds drive-thru job fair

BRISTOL, Ind.-- Many companies and businesses in Michiana have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Utilimaster, an automotive manufacturer, took creative action to offer employment to folks who need a job in the community.

“We’ve been busy all day, we’ve actually had people waiting for us this morning when we opened at 10 o’clock,” Utilimaster Human Resource Manager Kelly Gast said.

“We’re really excited, we thought this was a great concept. We want to make sure we keep our employees safe and our job applicants safe.”

On Wednesday, Utilimaster offered over 100 jobs to people during their drive-thru job fair, allowing folks to apply and interview for positions without getting out of their car.

“There’s people who need jobs right now and are anxious to get back to work especially with COVID and everything that has hit our community, so we want to help with that right and we have a spot for them here at Utilimaster,” Gast said.

President and CEO of the Elkhart County Chamber of Commerce, Levon Johnson, said that it’s no secret that jobs have been affected in the area, but that the job fair is a sign of businesses getting back to economic normalcy.

“Businesses have been affected in all different ways and having to adjust and do things in a different way,” Johnson said.

“You have a drive thru job fair; the number of positions that are open at that particular business is showing a revving up of the economy and trying to get back to a place where economy is growing.”

Johnson said that in the beginning of the pandemic that Elkhart County’s unemployment rate was at about 26 percent, and dropped to about 12 percent in May.

To keep things on the right track, he said that it’ll take everyone’s effort.

“My biggest hope is the continuation that people will do those things that are recommended or mandated to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus,” Johnson said.

“It’s important to keep safely trying to move the economy forward and I would say if you can’t do that safely then we clearly need to pull back.”

Over 80 people were hired on the spot on Wednesday, and if you missed the job fair, you can still apply for a position on their website under “careers.”