Yesterday, EID-Ohio traveled to Youngstown State University for Performance Technologies’ Oil and Gas Career Fair.  Performance Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake Energy Corporation that provides pressure pumping services for natural gas and oil well stimulation treatments.  Though they didn’t plan to fill all their needed positions yesterday, when fully staffed the company is looking to have 150-200 people on board.  In Ohio, they’ll be in a temporary facility until the Utica Field Office in Louisville is complete.

By 11:00 a.m., just one hour into the five-hour event, 100 eager prospects showed up.  By the end of the day 150 people interviewed for the four different types of positions available.  These include electronics technicians, equipment operators, field supervisors, and maintenance technicians.  As prospects entered the event, they excitedly saw that Chesapeake has been featured on Fortune Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list four years in a row and that the positions come with excellent compensation and benefit packages. It’s easy to see why so many people showed up to interview with Performance Technologies.

EID-O  spoke with Aegeda Riggins, a Recruiting Supervisor for Chesapeake, who took a break from interviewing candidates to talk about the event and the incredible opportunities the oil and gas industry is bringing to Ohio:

We’ve been proud to assist people who are unemployed to come and work in this industry—Aegeda Riggins, Recruiting Supervisor, Chesapeake Energy (:20)

As we’ve found in our travels around the state, Chesapeake isn’t alone in hiring.  Companies big and small have given Ohioans a second chance by providing relief from unemployment, something unexpected in the Buckeye State.  Be sure to check out our Jobs Microsite for more shale industry opportunities around Ohio. There is no doubt that more opportunities will continue to come.

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