Local residents looking for employment opportunities will have the chance to get hired come Sept. 29, as Balance Staffing is hosting a job fair with an upwards of 60 open positions available.

“We want to put people to work,” said Balance Staffing recruiter Perry Dean. “I get joy out of seeing people say, ‘I got it!’ after getting hired at a job fair.”

Companies based out of Turlock, Modesto, Livingston and Riverbank will be hiring at the job fair for a variety of positions, including administration, production, warehouse work, picking and sorting foods, general labor, machine operators and forklift operators. The positions range from seasonal to full time, said Dean.

“We will be hiring on the spot,” said Dean, who added that applications, interviews and drug testing will all be competed on site at the job fair.

The effort to bring a job fair to Turlock came as a collaboration between Dean and Veterans of Foreign Wars member Wardee “Gunner” Bruce, who are both members of the Stanislaus Veterans Employment Council. The pair thought that the job fair would be a good way to bring job opportunities to unemployed veterans in the area.

“We are holding the job fair for veterans, but opened it up to the public so that other people can get the same opportunities,” said Bruce, adding that veterans will have higher priority when it comes to hiring.

In a report released in March by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment situation of veterans in the country was shown to have declined with 4.6 percent of veterans unemployed. Bruce explained that the number of jobless or homeless veterans in Turlock often fluctuates since many don’t want to be counted.

After a successful job fair which saw the hiring of many veterans was held in Modesto, Bruce and Dean were inspired to continue the effort in Turlock. Veterans often make great employees said Dean, who is also a veteran.

“The training that we’ve had goes a long way and we will never lose it,” he said. “We see things through and carry the mission out, and are familiar with teamwork.”

“Veterans know how to be on time and prepared for work,” added Bruce. “That’s something they don’t teach you in high school, but the military does.”

Although veterans will have top priority when it comes to hiring at the fair, all job-seeking residents are welcome at the event. Those attending the job fair are encouraged to dress to impress and bring along a resume, though not required. No prior experience is necessary, and potential hires should be prepared to work in a fast-paced environment and have reliable transportation to and from work.

Balance Staffing’s job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 29 at the American Legion Hall, 75 Bothun Road in Turlock.