Naval Foundry And Propeller Center On Hiring Spree
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Naval Foundry and Propeller Center in Philadelphia is on a hiring spree.
On Thursday, people packed the Radisson Hotel in Feasterville-Trevose for a job fair.
The Naval Foundry and Propeller Center sits right across the water in South Philadelphia. Employees inside are responsible for creating some critical components for our nation's submarine system, and now the government wants to hire even more of them.
"We make classified, specialized parts predominantly for the submarine program," said Bill Craig, director of the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.
It's here workers cast metal, while mechanics and electricians build components for the U.S. Navy.
All of the Foundry work for the Navy is done in Philadelphia," said Craig.
And the Navy needs you.
A hiring spree for more than 200 positions in Philadelphia alone.
"We're expanding to more than 500 people and the 500 people expansion we're doing is really to support the Navy's new submarine program, the Columbia program," said Craig. "We're looking for machinists, preferably experienced machinists, from laborers all the way up to senior managers."
What makes this job fair unique, though, is the ability to be hired on the spot.
Folks like Shawn Meyers-- who applied-- was interviewed and even fingerprinted all Thursday afternoon. He starts as an instructor at the Foundry in just a few weeks.
"I was former Navy myself. They obviously put a preference on military service was here to find out some opportunities. And got a job offer today," Meyers said,
Jason Durham also got the nod. He's currently working for a shipbuilding company in the city.
This opportunity with the Navy, as a ship fitter, could not come at a better time.
"My job is doing layoff, so to know I'll still have a job is great," he said.
Now there are at least two other job fairs planned in the coming weeks--one in Wilmington, Delaware and the other near Allentown.
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