MP Chamber hosts first job tour

Mt. Pleasant companies opened their doors for business Thursday morning, April 4, and waited for potential future employees to walk in during the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce's first job tour.

The idea is simple: instead of a job fair where businesses send representatives to sit at tables, have candidates go to the companies to meet employers and see what daily operations are like. A tour bus left from Iowa Wesleyan University at 9 a.m. and again at 3 p.m., visiting four companies for tours.

'We're always looking to grow with the right employee,” said Jennifer Moutrie, with Moutrie Trucking.

Moutrie was welcoming job candidates to their building on Thursday with Subway cookies and a Moutrie Trucking coozy and pen. Although no prospective new employees stopped by Moutrie Trucking, Moutrie said she appreciated the Chamber trying something new.

Moutrie said safety and customer service are extremely important to their company, and they look for high-quality employees to get the job done.

Employees with Moutrie need to have a clean motor vehicle report, a minimum of two years of driving experience and must be 23 years old or older; however, Moutrie said for the right candidate, they would make exceptions and provide a mentorship program, so all employees can succeed.

In 2014, there was a national shortage of 48,000 truck drivers according to the America Trucking Association, Moutrie said. Today, there's a national shortage of 60,000 truck drivers and that number is growing.

'The median age for employees in the U.S. is 42 years old,” Moutrie said. 'For truck drivers it's 49 years. At our company it's 51 years old. (Truck drivers) are getting older and retiring. Finding people interested in that lifestyle is difficult.”

Moutrie said when she asks their drivers what they love about the job, they say seeing the country and the independent time they get in the truck. They also like the salary.

'We do have top pay in our industry,” Moutrie said. 'Our drivers have found they do make a good income.”

Hana Teshone, a student at Iowa Wesleyan University from Ethiopia, boarded the bus to attend the job tour at 3 p.m. Teshone said she was looking for an internship, so she can graduate next year. In Teshone's hands were several copies of her resume she had prepared earlier that day.

'I don't know much about the companies yet, but Continental and Innovairre caught my eye,” Teshone said.

Sabin Khatiwada, an IW student from Nepal, will graduate in May. He boarded the bus for the job tour to see what career opportunities are available in Mt. Pleasant.

'This might be a wonderful opportunity for me to explore,” Khatiwada said.

Dell Hammond, administrator at Savannah Heights, said the job tour was a great idea.

'We're always looking for good people,” Hammond said, adding the job tour format gives Savannah Heights the opportunity to show potential employees what they do rather than just tell them.

Savannah Heights currently has a few openings for housekeepers and nurses, Hammond said.

'I've been to job fairs where you're talking to a person who doesn't really know about the company's day-to-day operations,” Hammond said. The job tour is a chance for job candidates to see the inner workings of the company.

Jenn Greiner, talent sourcing specialist at Hearth & Home Technologies, agreed that the job tour was a really good idea.

'Right now unemployment is really low. Candidates the company wants to draw in are actively working. This is an opportunity to give them a chance to visit,” Greiner said.

Greiner said while job fairs are fine, job candidates could be in the same room with their current employer. Having a job tour where candidates can visit businesses they might want to work at and see what they do is an excellent alternative, she said.

Other companies who participated were Continental, the Henry County Health Center, Innovairre, Insight Partnership Group, Walmart Distribution Center, Walmart Super Store and Lomont Molding.