Two job seekers speak with representatives from Scrap Metal Services at the Greater Brownsville Incentive Corporation’s popular Career & Coffee Expo. (Photo: RGG/Steve Taylor)
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – People looking for work, many sipping flavored hot java with ice, were at the 4th Annual Career and Coffee Job Expo held at the Brownsville Event Center. I did.
As the crowd mingled, more than 50 exhibitors and vendors offered company-engraved swag, colorful brochures, and sign-up sheets for those interested in specific employment positions. .
Employers included many from local, state, and federal government sectors, and others from schools, construction, and the marine industry.
But the biggest job magnets came from the two startups that are creating the most jobs and paying some of the highest wages for participants.
The two are LNG Rio Grande and SpaceX. The former is based at the Port of Brownsville and currently employs more than 1,800 people, while the latter employs more than 3,000 full-time and contract workers at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica Beach.
And the number of job seekers continues to grow as both companies continue to hire.
That was on display at a six-hour job fair held on Wednesday, October 16th, where line after line of people interested in working for both companies lined up, outnumbering the remaining companies. There were also many.
“I came here because I want to get a job at SpaceX,” Brownsville resident Ruben Cano said as he waited in one of the lines. “I’m an electrician.”
René Cano said he came from Harlingen with the same idea.
“I have a job cutting trees along power lines, but it would be great to work there,” he said.
He said he either heard or read that SpaceX pays about $18 an hour for some jobs, such as driving workers from one location to another.
And while the lines in front of the company’s two tables were longer than others, others were looking for work elsewhere.
Javier del Angel said he hopes to find work at Southwest Key, a company that works with immigrant children.
Some said they stopped by as many locations as possible in hopes of hearing from potential employers.
Some employers who are interested in hiring said they pay fair wages and encourage people to apply.
The Brownsville Police Department is one of them.
The starting salary for a police officer on one year of probation is $39,711 a year, but that jumps to $53,220 and $76,328 for Officer 1 and Officer 2, respectively.
Additionally, there is a seniority rating system that gives officers with six and 20 years of service an additional $1,200 to $6,120.
This does not include other benefits such as overtime pay, night shift pay, duties, or SWAT assignments.
The U.S. military also continues to recruit.
According to the recruiter, the base salary is $2,600 per month.
He said that while this may not be a significant number, the job provides benefits such as medical, vision and dental insurance, room and board, and education.
Some employers said this year’s fair was the largest they had ever attended and vowed to attend again next year.
The expo was sponsored by the Greater Brownsville Incentive Corporation.
Editor’s note: Below is a video interview with Brownsville City Commissioner Tino Villarreal Jr. on Careers and Coffee. It was held at the expo.
