Job seekers and vendors hoping to promote their businesses filled the Williamson County Expo Center during this weekend’s East Wilco Business Expo.
Hosted by the Taylor Chamber of Commerce, the business expo was held Saturday, Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tia Stone, president of the chamber, estimates about 1,500 people filtered through the expo throughout the day. Over 65 vendors were at the event, with about 20 looking to hire.
“It was an amazing thing to watch,” Stone said. “The Taylor area has become a land of opportunity, with more jobs available than we could have imagined a few years ago.”
Stone said there were 12 companies at the expo from South Korea, many of which do not have grounds in Taylor yet. These companies were largely associated with the future needs of the incoming Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s Taylor location and were looking for employees.
Samsung Austin Semiconductor is a local subsidiary of South Korean-based Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
Other booths were staffed by longtime vendors including Taylor Independent School District, local and county first responders, Ancira Salsa and Shepherd’s Heart.
The chamber’s booth was focused on getting people to understand the benefits of working in Taylor. The booth had a “there’s no place like home” theme from the Wizard of Oz, with members dressed in costumes of characters from the movie.
Stone said a couple of businesses hired people at the event, while others gathered resumes and shared job information. “Back when the city was working on the basics of its comprehensive plan, citizens said over and over again that they dreamed of a community where their children and grandchildren could have excellent job opportunities so they would return to live and raise their own families here,” Stone said. “This expo and job fair is proof that their wishes are coming true.”
The Taylor Press won the event’s “People’s Choice” award, where attendees voted on which of the booths was their favorite.
