The Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce, Limestone County Economic Development Association, and Athens Main Street hosted the Inaugural Bilingual Job Fair & Resource Expo at Athens State University on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

According to Pammie Jimmar, the President of the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce, the event spawned out of a TVA project that Main Street, LCEDA, and the Chamber of Commerce worked on together.

After the project, the groups looked at the workforce to determine what population of workers is underserved and discovered Hispanic workers are underserved in the area, some of whom cannot speak English.

“We created this job fair, and not only a job fair but a resource expo, to have resources here to where the individual may not speak English or just needed a translator to help, and so we have translators here,” said Jimmar.

A few of the vendors present include: Athens City and Limestone County Schools, the Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley, Limestone Manor and other health organizations, and multiple builders and manufacturers.

A representative of the Habitat for Humanity told The News Courier, “we will eventually have a restore here in Limestone that we’re pitching and letting people know about.”

He went on to say Habitat for Humanity purchased a property in Limestone County and they are looking for volunteers of all types, as well as sponsors, to help get the property ready to be moved into.

Athens City Schools spoke with The News Courier regarding the need for substitutes and bus drivers in both Athens City and Limestone County. Limestone County Schools have multiple full-time teaching positions open. Both systems are looking for nutrition employees.

For more information about local employers, reach out to the Chamber of Commerce or the LCEDA.