Hundreds of prospective employees visited the East Texas Montessori Prep Academy on April 25th for the annual Career Expo, hoping to join Longview Independent School District.
Representatives from the district's various campuses and departments answered questions with the goal of adding valuable educators to one of the fastest-growing school districts in East Texas.
With over 25 campuses and departments looking to fill about 100 jobs, there were plenty of opportunities available. From those looking for a future job to those there to greet them, everyone seemed to be in good spirits.
“I think the Career Expo is a great opportunity to see what’s out there and interview,” said Hudson PEP Elementary 1st grade teacher Susie Webster. “If you’re a brand new teacher it just gives you an opportunity to talk to people and see what it’s like.”
Webster is proof that the expo can work as she first attended it as someone seeking a job and now she’s on the other side of the table, there to greet potential candidates.
Getting your name and your face out there is important according to Webster, a belief that is echoed by Teenesha Robinson who attended the event looking for a potential job as a teacher’s aide or a physical education teacher.
Robinson herself worked for the district in her past and is quite happy about the idea of returning.
“It’s home. It’s very welcoming; all the employees treat you like family,” Robinson said. “There’s no other feeling like working at LISD.”
It was Robinson’s first time at the expo and like Webster, she was keen on the event.
“This is really cool. It really gives you an opportunity to look at a whole variety of job openings that they have,” Robinson said. “You’re able to interact with the principals and other coworkers. If you do get the position, you’ll already be familiar with them.”
Hudson PEP Elementary Principal Sue Wilson applauded the Human Resources department, saying “the job fair was very organized and it is evident that (HR) worked very hard to make the event a success.
“The venue at the East Texas Montessori Prep Academy was accommodating and allowed for many job seekers to visit with many schools in an uncrowded environment,” Wilson said. “Everyone who attended felt welcomed.”
Describing the job fair as a 'kickoff event,' Human Resource Director Loretta Thompson Martin said her department will continue recruiting throughout the spring and summer.
'This isn't the end of our search for qualified applicants, actually more like the kickoff,' she said. 'For anyone who wasn't able to make it out here tonight, we encourage them to submit an application through the website, and contact us for any questions about positions that may still be available.'
Many applicants traveled from as far away as Dallas and Houston, with others coming from neighboring districts around Tyler and the greater Longview area.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jody Clements said an important goal of the job fair is to allow interested applicants an opportunity to sit down with potential supervisors and to get a sense of whether it was a good fit.
'There's only so much you can get from a resume, this expo allows professionals to meet and put a face to a name,' he said. 'Tonight we had a lot of excitement, a lot of great conversations and positive applicants. You can see people smiling and know relationships are being built.”
For more information about career opportunities at Longview ISD please visit LISD.org and click on the Job Listings page, or contact the Human Resources Department at (903) 381-2200.