Scores of open jobs at SKC career fair

Meghan Tyler wandered around Salish Kootenai College with eyes wide open to the endless possibilities in the room.

Potential employers and college leaders filled the SKC Gym Feb. 22 with tables, brochures and give-away toys for participants in an attempt to showcase their job openings as well as the vast opportunities available to anyone who attended.

From its entrance to its exit, those looking for work had chance after chance to find something that fit.

Don Bell and Ben Woods, Lake County’s sheriff and undersheriff, flanked the entrance.

Lake County has a few law-enforcement-related openings and the pair stood by to chat with anyone who wanted to talk about those jobs, or anything else on their minds.

Down the row, representatives for the military stood at attention, recruiting documents ready to share. 

Department of Commerce Area Manager Deb Doney, of Polson, attended the fair with co-worker Department of Commerce Human Resource Specialist Shannon Mergenthaler. The ladies spoke to several potential employees eligible for two Kalispell-centric data entry positions.

“We’re here to spread the word about our positions,” Doney said. 

The Department of Commerce is a regular career-fair participant.

“Sometimes we have a few jobs and sometimes we have 30,” Mergenthaler said. “It all depends on timing.” 

Juliana Tanner, human resource manager for the KwaTaqNuk Resort said the career fair was a fabulous arena to search for summer employees. 

The college’s school schedule and the hotel’s summer season are very close, and since the resort needs several seasonal employees each year, mining for possibilities at the fair is advantageous. 

“We encourage students to apply with us,” Tanner said. 

The bonus is finding seasonal employees that can return the following year, she said.

But Tyler, who is in her late 20s, said her career answer might include continuing education.

Tyler, of Ronan, is thinking of starting a college career that will eventually lead to a job teaching sign language to deaf preschool children.

Tyler said her oldest sister is deaf and that she grew up communicating through her hands.

Tyler said she is inspired by her deaf sister as well as her other sister, Lyndsey Evertz, Polson Cherry Valley Elementary School preschool special education student.

Tyler found the college’s financial row particularly helpful.

Along with a row full of the college’s various financial assistance options, Tyler found Allen Addison, who spent the day talking to students.

Addison, who is the ASPIRE Regional Assistant Director, is in charge of SKC’s TRIO student support program, which supports student education through financial and motivational support.

SKC is the only Tribal college in the nation still able to utilize parts of the program which began operation in the 1980s. 

SKC junior Tyler Fouty is enrolled in the college’s hydrology program.

Fouty showcased his passion for natural science with a clear tank equipped with an adjustable, gravity-fed water-release device designed to show visitors how water flow interacts with the ground-level atmosphere it crosses.

Fouty’s job at the fair was to share his passion for education as well as the possibilities that students can envision for their future.

Not far from Fouty’s display, Ellen Rose Bigcrane shared her love for education and the Salish Kootenai culture at her table. 

Bigcrane, who holds a bachelor’s of science herself, works as an administrative assistant for the college.

Her job was to share the fascinating possibilities for students who enroll in classes in the Native American Studies Department.

Run by Department Head Dean Nicolai, students can earn an associates or masters degree in Native American history or Tribal Governance Administration.

Native American Studies gives students the chance to earn an associates or bachelor’s degree.

But not everyone who attended wanted to go to school.

Victoria Malatarie pulled two of her three children in a red wagon while her oldest child walked behind.

Malatarie attended because her husband was an SKC student.

The boys, Justin, Wesley and Gabriel got books from a booth and were entranced by their new finds.

Peggy Hulsey, Taco Bell Area Coach sat with her table for the first time. 

Hulsey said she enjoyed her day interacting with career day participants but her main mission for preparing a table at the fair was for profile advertising.

“We are here just getting our name out there,” Hulsey said. 

Hulsey is responsible for eight Taco Bell hiring locations between Kalispell and Missoula.