Every year Bristol Community College holds a Spring Job Fair with the aim of bringing job hunters together with jobs.

Marc Munroe Dion Herald News Staff Reporter

FALL RIVER — Learning is a wonderful thing all by itself, but part of the idea behind going to any school is the hope of using what you learn to get a job.

To encourage that, every year Bristol Community College holds a Spring Job Fair with the aim of bringing job hunters together with jobs.

“We have over 65 companies,” said Liz McCarthy, BCC’s coordinator of career planning and job placement.

“We have a great job pool,” she said. “Employers come to us looking for employees.”

With the help of the college, students prepare for the job fair.

“We help students with resumes, how to do an interview, and how to work a job fair,” McCarthy said.

Inside the cafeteria, all kinds of employers hopefully spread out brochures, free pens, and bowls of candy. Students and just plain job seekers walked table-to-table.

Adjunct Professor Paul Robillard dealt blackjack. He’s worked as a dealer, and now teaches, not just blackjack and poker dealing, but basic courses about casino operation.

“We’re looking for a lot of students,” he said of the college’s various casino-related classes.

“There are 1,000 casinos in the country,” Robillard said. “There is gaming on cruise ships.”

“I’m helping out MGM today,” he said. The company is building a casino in Springfield as Massachusetts expands gaming in the state. “People stop and play blackjack, and the MGM people can talk to them.”

Dominos Pizza was in the house, as was St. Anne’s Credit Union, Titleist, even the Swansea Police Department.

“We’re trying a new style of things,” said Swansea Police Officer Amy Gallant, manning the recruitment booth. “We require a college education.”

Non-student Tammy Cabaceiras,  of Fall River, said a friend told her about the event. Cabaceiras said she wasn’t comfortable saying where she works, but she is working, and she wouldn’t mind getting off the night shift she’s been on for the last two years.

“I’m looking,” she said. “Maybe a bank. I might go back to school, too.”

Kara Rocha, manning the Children’s Workshop table, was giving away cheerful-looking yellow rubber ducks.

“Mostly we’re looking for teacher’s assistants and summer hires,” she said.

Marc Priestly is working part-time as an auto mechanic.

“I came because I know someone who goes here,” Priestly said. “I want to see what’s out there.”

“It’s a good crowd,” McCarthy said, watching job seekers file in. Everyone is dressed very well, too.”