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Exterran Begins Seeking Job Candidates for New Plant
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Exterran begins the hiring process today for its plant under construction here as the company, which provides equipment and services for the oil and gas industry, seeks candidates to fill positions at its fabrication plant being built on Salt Springs Road.
A special careers page on the Exterran website for Youngstown-area job seekers is now online. Hiring is being handled by Mahoning County One Stop, and open positions will be listed on its website. Job seekers also are encouraged to contact the One Stop office directly at 330 965 1787 ext. 72007.
Sean Clawges, director of global manufacturing expansion for Exterran, said construction is continuing on schedule and the company is on track to meet its early 2013 targeted opening date. Exterran is looking to fill the 80 positions now, and payroll could grow to more than 100 employees at the plant in the future, he added.
“We are recruiting primarily for welders, fitters, assemblers, machine operators, material handlers, painters and quality technicians,” Clawges said. Pay for all positions is expected to be “at or slightly above” average wages, he said.
Exterran is also hiring for professional positions such as human resources and health and safety, said Mary Ann Kochalko, chief operating officer of the One Stop System of Mahoning and Columbiana Counties. While there is sometimes movement between companies, there aren’t enough welders out there to fill the existing demand, she noted.
“Certainly it’s going to add to the demand for those skilled positions that we’ve already been attempting to promote,” remarked Jessica Borza, executive director of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, an organization of manufacturers that seeks to address issues that affect them, including the supply of skilled workers.
Borza said she is working with local career centers, all of which have fall start dates, and she hopes the prospect of gainful employment gets people interested in training for the positions.
Training schools are “really in touch with what the demand is right now,” Kochalko confirmed. “They’re working closely with our businesses through the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition so they understand what the need is,” she noted.
Also, welders can get entry-level certification within a few months to get work, then continue training to get the next certification, Borza said.
“Overall I think it’s really going to be good for the region,” Borza said.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.