Quality Jobs and Talent on Display at 11th Annual Conroe Job Fair

More than 300 job seekers participated in the 11th annual Conroe Job Fair presented by the Conroe Economic Development Council (CEDC) and the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber on January 24. Despite inopportune weather conditions, some 64 companies and organizations with booths saw increased numbers of people looking for jobs and were excited about the number and quality of candidates attending.

Quality Candidates are Made Here 

Galdisa USA had more than 30 attendees visit about working at the peanut manufacturing plant in Conroe Park North that provides high quality peanut ingredients and retail products. The company is expanding its production operations and warehouse to provide more products into the U.S. market, as well as provide quality products for international sales. Galdisa established its U.S headquarters in Conroe in 2018 to reach the U.S. market and take advantage of the abundant and quality Texas peanut supply.

According to Galdisa USA’s Business Development Director Amy Laux, “Quality is Galdisa’s passion, and we are finding quality job candidates at the job fair in Conroe.” 

Epcon Industrial Systems, LP shared a similar experience. Epcon, which develops and manufactures innovative air pollution control technology and industrial heating equipment, was looking to fill career positions in four job categories and found multiple candidates for all the positions. According to Epcon Application Engineer John Carlile, the company will return for future Conroe Job Fairs based on the number and quality of candidates. 

Also at the booth, Epcon Field Service Representative Darrell Huddleston was equally as pleased and claimed that many times they had two lines that were several people deep waiting to visit about Epcon jobs. Huddleston estimated they talked with as many as 80 people.

“We have a purchasing agent job position to fill, and we have at least five quality candidates we will schedule for interviews for that position,” said Huddleston. 

Quality Opportunities are Made Here 

It was not only companies who had a great experience. Juan Jose Astudillo attended looking for a job. An experienced professional in business development, marketing and sales, Astudillo broadened his scope to seek work in various fields and meticulously visited booths, asked questions, provided a professional resume and concluded conversations with a firm handshake and smile.

Asked about whether the inclement weather was discouraging, Astudillo, originally from Ecuador, was optimistic. “In my culture, rain brings prosperity and abundance. So, I put on my best suit, packed my resume and said my prayers before I came to the job fair.”

Quality Connections are Made Here 

VGXI is a full-service contract development and manufacturing organization that produces DNA plasmids for human clinical trials, virus production, toxicology studies and pre-clinical research. With the slogan “Quality is in our DNA,” VGXI is the first tenant in Deison Technology Park, CEDC’s high-tech business park.

In a unique twist, two women staffing VGXI’s job fair booth advocating for others to join their new company were recent job candidates themselves. Sonia Padilla attended the Conroe Job Fair last year. 

“I had been laid off from my job and was not feeling so great about myself.  I was reluctant to attend the job fair,” Padilla recalled. “When I got here, people were so welcoming. I highlighted the brochure with booths I would visit looking for an administrative job. I had highlighted the VGXI booth,” she said while showing the year-old brochure. “I would tell everyone ‘just come’ – you might find your career job. I plan to retire from VGXI.” 

Padilla said her job placement came through Spherion Staffing, which she visited at the 2022 fair. Spherion helped her land the job at VGXI.

Mackie Tucker, Padilla’s coworker in the booth, also expressed the desire to eventually retire from the company, and it was just her second day on the job! Tucker has a connection to the job fair since she sought her job through Express Employment Professionals, which had a booth at the 2023 Conroe Job Fair to recruit more quality workers to place with growing Conroe companies. 

Both Tucker and Padilla believe they are experiencing their quality job because of the friendly environment created by one of Conroe’s newest health science companies – and it all connects back to the annual Conroe Job Fair.

The CEDC thanks all of the fantastic sponsors, volunteers, companies and job seekers at this year’s Conroe Job Fair and is looking forward to the next one in January 2024!