Organizers describe this year’s East Williamson County Job Expo and Business Fair as more “purposeful and intentional” than past versions of the event.
Hosted by the Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce, the business expo was Saturday, April 27 at the Williamson County Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail.
Organizer Rachael Westerman said anywhere from 500 to 700 people attended the event, which is less than last year, but the booths and job seekers probably had more meaningful interactions in this edition. “It’s hard to say it’s down when all the booths are saying, ‘hey, I made great connections,’” Westerman said. “We were tallying the attendees who were coming for the job fair piece of it, and we were tallying if they had resumes or folders with them or were job seekers. We know at least half of the attendees were there for jobs.”
According to Westerman, there were 50 booths at the job fair. She classified the booths as “businesses who were interested in expanding their businesses in Taylor” through the workforce or increasing services.
Westerman, who also serves as the Chamber’s membership and operations director, said one of the most important takeaways of the expo was a business symposium earlier that week.
She said there were conversations about what kind of community Taylor needs to be inviting for families to move into town and expand their businesses locally.
“We knew that going into 2024 that our big focus was going to be our workforce,” Westerman said. “And it’s a balance. We’re trying to be a community that people want to move to so that the right people can move here, because we know higher paying jobs are well on their way.”
Employers seeking job applications at the expo were given a yellow balloon with the word “Hiring” on it.
Taylor Independent School District, one of the yellow balloon booths, said they were primarily looking to hire teachers and bus drivers.
“Right now, we’re expecting growth and like all districts, we’re short on bus drivers,” said Carl Caldwell, Taylor ISD transportation coordinator. “We’re hoping we can get on top of it.”
Delia Ortiz, a human resource specialist with the school district, explained a desire to hire alumni.
“We love seeing our Taylor ISD graduates come back home and apply to further their careers with the district,” Ortiz said.
Westerman said since the expo was moved to the spring, which is close to graduation, the Chamber tried to maximize the opportunity to reach out to graduating seniors.
The Chamber said it does not have the date for the next business expo confirmed yet, but thinks it will be in the spring again.
Rachael Westerman, director of membership and operations director at the Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce, dances with the H-E-B mascot at the East Williamson County Job Expo and Business Fair Saturday, April 27. Photo by Hunter Dworaczyk
