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Seafood Companies Recruit In Western Alaska

Oct. 23, 2000
No. 01-18

Labor Sponsors Job Fair to Help Industry Find Workers

Five onshore and at-sea seafood companies will participate in the fourth annual Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Seafood Job Fair from November 6 through the 9th. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Seafood Employment Unit is sponsoring the event for seafood companies to recruit and hire processing workers in Western Alaska for the pollock 'A' season and the opilio crab opening. Job orders have been placed through the Seafood Unit to hire over 350 workers this winter.

Seafood Employment Specialists Melody Dosier of Anchorage and Roger Lowe of Bethel will recruit with seafood company representatives in St. Mary's, Aniak, Hooper Bay and Bethel for the upcoming opilio and pollock seasons. Lena Mathlaw with the Coastal Villages Region Fund will accompany them to Hooper Bay.

"The hope is that we will reach more people who, because of the salmon disaster and other financial constraints, aren't able to travel to Bethel or to Anchorage to meet with employers," Dosier said. "These companies need over three hundred workers for a variety of processing jobs located on floating processors in the Bering Sea and at shore-based plants in Dutch Harbor." Dosier will conduct seafood orientation with a video showing processing at sea as well as in a shore-based plant, answer questions, help workers fill out job applications and refer them to the employers traveling with her.

"We have recruited in the region before and look forward to offering a good employment package to qualified applicants from rural Alaska," said Liz Procious, recruiter for Westward Seafoods, a shore-based processor in Dutch Harbor. "The season which begins in January can provide a good winter employment opportunity, accommodating the Alaska subsistence lifestyle." Successful applicants are required to pass a physical examination and a drug screen. The seafood companies generally cover airfare, food and lodging when the seafood worker completes a contract. All the seafood companies encourage families and groups of friends to apply together, forming 'hot shot' teams.

The seafood job fair will be held in the following locations:

  • St. Mary's City Hall, Monday, November 6, 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Aniak City Hall, Tuesday, November 7, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Hooper Bay, TC Building, Wednesday, November 8, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Bethel Job Center Office, Thursday, November 9, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For more information on these employment opportunities, contact Melody Dosier at (907)269-4775 or call toll free (800)478-2210. The Seafood Employment Web pages are available at: https://jobs.alaska.gov/seafood/

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