Otsego County
the job scene Thursday, February 6, 2020
► BRITESHOT BRIGHTENS job OPPORTUNITIES/3 ► at bassett, you can SERVE many ways/5
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► higher education CAN open DOORS/7 For 212 Years
AllOTSEGO.com
21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown, NY 13326 • 607-547-6103 • info@allotsego.com
B-2 The Job Scene
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Expert: There Are More Manufacturing Jobs, And They Pay Better By LIBBY CUDMORE
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here are more manufacturing jobs available in Otsego County and they pay well, according to Christian Harris, Binghamton, the state Labor Department’s labor market analyst for Otsego County. “Right now there are
42 open jobs With increased for supervisors, automation and an operations workolder workforce ers and industrial looking at retireengineers,” he told ment, the time THE JOB SCENE. is right for the “These are jobs next generation maintaining the to be looking at production line or manufacturing as a working on the career, Harris said. Christian Harris process of the “There’s this production, and, on perception that the production average, make $82,000 line jobs are going away,” he a year.” said. “But there are many of
►CHECK OUT careers at state’s CDO Workforce: www.cdoworkforce.org/
those higher-level job titles, which require advances in skills, that are opening up.” According to Harris, there are 200 jobs in the county, a .8 percent increase from December 2018 to December 2019. “We’ve had some good
years of stability, we’re still hearing from manufacturers that they have a need for employment. They have customer orders coming through the door, but they don’t have enough workers to get them back out the door.” Amphenol in Sidney and Chobani in South Edmeston, Custom Electronics and Astrocom in Oneonta, and Mallinckrodt in Hobart are Please See JOBS, Page 6
PRODUCTION ASSEMBLER NEEDED
Assembles electronic components and sub-assemblies. Reads work orders, follows production drawings and sample assemblies. Come be a part of a family-owned business that has been employing in the greater Oneonts area for 59 years.
Career Development Because it’s not just a job.
Our goal is to improve the long-term growth and development of the workforce. We help all job seekers find work and training opportunities, with specialized programs dedicated to Youth, Youth with Disabilities, Veterans, and Workers with Disabilities. BUSINESSES SERVICES We help businesses find and fund training for the workers they need through On-the-Job Trainings, Apprenticeships, and Youth Work Experience programs.
we Can help. oneonta • norwiCh • Delhi • siDney CDoworkforCe.org
This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.
• One shift only • Weekends off • On a major bus route • Family-friendly hours • Benefits, 401k plan Conact Jerri at 607-432-1930 ext. 103 For more info and to apply, find us on the web at: wwwastrocom-electronics.com/Astrocom/ employment-opportunities.html
A GREAT PLACE TO WORK! Now taking applications:
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The Job Scene B-3
Thursday, February 6, 2020
FUTURISTIC FIRM SEEKS TO HIRE 50, THEN SOME
Help Custom Electronics Power The Future By JIM KEVLIN
►CHECK OUT careers at Oneonta’s Custom Electronics at www.customelec.com/careers-at-cei
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ustom Electronics President/ CEO Michael Pentaris has two degrees – a bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA – from SUNY Binghamton. “But I’m not sold on that,” he acknowledged the other day during a tour of the company’s Browne Street plant in the Town of Oneonta. “I’m looking for people with ambition.” He was accompanied on the tour by Jim Sloan, one of his key lieutenants, an Oneonta High School graduate who joined the company 31 years ago and worked his way up through the ranks. Custom Electronics, founded in 1963 by Peter S. Dokuchitz, the future assemblyman, is on the move into the future. A $750,000 state grant received in October 2018 fueled a $2.2 million expansion plan, according to Otsego Now CEO Jody Zakrevsky. The company has already expanded
and testing, testing, testing to ensure dependability before products leave the plant. “You let people expand their natural talents to where they want to go,” the CEO said of his hiring strategy. “We don’t need workers. We need workers who can become leaders.” Everyone’s future these days is tied to renewable energy, and Custom Electronics is focused on a key component – long-lasting lithium-ion batteries. Generally, electricity is generated and used or lost. But lights must shine Jim Kevlin/THE JOB SCENE at night, when no solar energy can Custom Electronics President/CEO Michael Pentaris, left, and be generated. And, this time of year, veteran supervisor Jim Sloan discuss a Briteshot lighting homes must be heated during the day, system destined to illuminate a movie or TV show set. whether winds turn windmills or not. The company’s Power & Energy Electronics, Pentaris said. by 75 jobs, and is aiming to hire The first six months, you’ll be work- Division is already providing portable another 50, according to Zakrevsky. lithium-ion power packs – the brand ing on the assembly line, probably Any bright high-school or college name: Briteshot – that allow lights soldering, “to get into the flow,” he grad – perhaps with code-writing and cameras to operate in remote said. Then there’s assembling power skills, but certainly with curiosity Please See CEI/Page 4 boards, building battery packs, coding – should consider a look at Custom
Otsego County offers an excellent benefit package that includes: Health Insurance, NYS Retirement, 12 Paid Holidays, Vacation Time, Sick Time and Personnel Time
Otsego County currently has vacancies available in the following titles: Caseworker Clerk Corrections Nurse Director of Income Maintenance Dispatcher Maintenance Worker Motor Vehicle Operator – Part time Social Welfare Examiner Staff Social Worker Transfer Station Attendant – Part time
For applications, job descriptions, and minimum qualifications, visit the Otsego County Personnel Office, 183 Main Street Cooperstown, or our web page at www.otsegocounty.com. EOE
We Have Local Roots. And we like local people working at our local branches!
With branches in Bainbridge, Delhi, Greene, Hancock, Norwich, Oneonta (Market Street and Oneida Street), Sidney and Walton, we may have something right for you!
Visit us online at sfcuonline.org, stop by or call 1-877-642-7328. Federally Insured by NCUA
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Thursday, February 6, 2020
Cooperstown’s Newspaper
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Now Hiring Interpreters & Museum Teachers The Education Department at The Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum is seeking enthusiastic, outgoing individuals to work as historic Interpreters and/or Museum Teachers in our museums. If you enjoy the thought of bringing history and art to life by demonstrating and teaching crafts and trades of the past, then this opportunity may be for you. There are several activities available including working with school-aged children; offering tours and workshops; and historic Interpretation by demonstrating and discussing broom making, weaving, pharmacy and gardening, and the Empire State Carousel. No experience is necessary; all training is provided. These positions are seasonal with schedules ranging from 1 to 5 days per week; daily hours may vary. Qualified candidates should have strong communication skills and be able to work a flexible schedule. Weekend and holiday work may be required. To apply, download an employment application from our website www.farmersmuseum.org and email to b.fischer@fenimoreart.org. EOE
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Neil Kathman, Delhi, operates winding machine at Custom Electronics. Supervisor Deloris Hendrickson, Davenport, and Production Manager Frank Woodcock, Oneonta, look on.
If this sounds like you, consider joining our lively and motivated team. We have two openings right now: ▜ REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER – to write feature stories, cover governmental meetings and react to breaking news. We prefer experience, but are willing to train an energetic newcomer with a related degree or experience. Car necessary. Flexible hours. ▜ FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPER – to photograph feature and news events, and to react to breaking news as it happens. Must have own equipment and car. Send a resumÊ and cover letter to jimk@allotsego.com. 1808 BY
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JOIN US!
Do you like people? Are you curious? Do you like to write? To take photos?
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With Briteshot, there’s no need to run electrical lines to the scene, or for on-site gasoline-powered generators, which New York City is in the process of prohibiting. Pentaris didn’t want to mention any TV show by name, but did say a certain long-running police and courtroom drama filmed on NYC streets – yes, that one – is powered by packs assembled on Browne Street. The company hired 39 people in December for Briteshot alone. Freeing customers from the interruptible grid, Custom Electronics’ batteries are finding new uses. For instance, its
batteries eliminate split-second losses of power that can allow hackers to breach bank customers’ personal data. Other companies sell systems; Custom Electronics “provides solution,� said Pentaris. Custom Electronics is also providing drones for civil and military use, upgrading HVAC systems – and is talking with the government of Mexico about batteries to electrify remote villages for the first time. “It’s a big country,� said the executive, when asked about the possibilities there. Custom Electronics is collaborating with companies in Massachusetts, Connecticut and, most recently, Las Vegas, which may lead to their relocating here. There is some urgency to hire people. “If (all this innovation) is gradual,� said Pentaris, “we’ll be OK. If it’s sudden, that’s where the problem will be.� Regardless, Pentaris is confident. “No one’s cornered the market on original thought,� he said.
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B-4 The Job Scene
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Thursday, February 6, 2020
The Job Scene B-5
CRAIG, RECRUITERS HANDLE 10,000 APPLICANTS A YEAR
Big Job At Bassett: Keeping So Many Jobs Filled By JIM KEVLIN COOPERSTOWN
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he sign on Melanie Craig’s desk reads, “I AM THE PATIENT.” Over a year, Craig, the Bassett Healthcare Network’s director of human resources and employee relations, will tell you, she and her staff – five recruiters and two employment assistants – are seeking to fill 250-300 jobs, full and part-time, not counting doctors. Even with that hiring challenge, it’s still competitive. Last year, 10,000 people applied for non-physician jobs through Craig’s office, which recruits for Bassett Hospital, the 19 school-based health centers, Jim Kevlin/THE JOB SCENE and 31 regional primary health centers, The sign on Melanie Craig’s desk says it all. She is from Walton to Newport. human resources & employee relations director for This doesn’t include hiring doctors, the Bassett Healthcare Network. handled by a Medical Staff Recruitment
Interpretive Farmer The Farmers’ Museum is looking for a full-time Interpretive Farmer. The successful candidate will be able to interact with visitors and staff in a friendly and professional manner while demonstrating 19th Century farming techniques. Duties include working on and interpreting the farm, gardens, field crops and hop yard; handling and caring for livestock including draft horses, oxen, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and turkeys; and maintaining and repairing fences, tools, and outbuildings. This position requires solid experience working with and caring for livestock; the ability to work in extreme weather conditions and the ability to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. Equine experience is strongly preferred. The Museum will provide training on 19th century farming techniques. This position offers a competitive wage and a full benefits package including health insurance, paid time off and pension plan. To apply, please download and complete an employment application from our website www.farmersmuseum. org, and email to b.fischer@fenimoreart.org or call 607-547-1466. EOE
►CHECK OUT careers at the Bassett Healthcare Network at https://www.bassett.org/careers
Team, under Debra Ferrari. The other fullservice hospitals, including Fox in Oneonta, also do their non-physician hiring. There are 2,855 employees in and around the Cooperstown hospital. In the eight counties, the total employment is 3,835. With that many jobs, and that many vacancies, and that many applications, how do Craig and her five recruiters and two administrative assistants avoid getting buried? Remember the sign on her desk. They stay focused. “We value experience,” Craig said, “and what we feel is going to bring the best value to our patients.” Craig’s team, she said, is continuously Please See BASSETT, Page 6
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B-6 The Job Scene
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Bassett Offers Every Job, From Janitor To MD
BASSETT/From page 5 looking to fill openings in a half-dozen categories: nurses, clerical workers, food service workers, maintenance workers, and “allied health positions,” such as radiation technicians and pharmacists. The jobs require the whole range of qualifications. On the one hand, housekeeping jobs may not require a high-school diploma; on the other, some nursing positions require an R.N. with a master’s degree. “It’s harder to recruit,” Craig said, echoing – with a 3.9 percent local unemployment rate – what all other employers interviewed for THE JOB SCENE said. “We’re not seeing the volume of candidates we want to see.” This requires flexibility. In one recent case, a manager had passed over a resumé. But the recruiter met the applicant and communicated back to the manager, “I really think you want to meet with this person,” who was then hired. “Just because they are
applying for one position, that’s not the one position we are considering them for,” Craig added. Craig’s department has also developed “stronger partnerships” with high schools, “from here to Dolgeville, Franklin, and everywhere in between,” to make young people aware of the opportunities. A new component in Bassett hiring strategy, not under Craig’s wing, is international recruitment, from the Middle East, the Philippines, Canada and Trinidad. “That’s huge,” she said. Once hired, there’s also flexibility. A new hire is required to stay in that first job six months before – having gotten acclimated to the hospital and opportunities – making a request for transfer. “We encourage that,” said Craig, who pointed out that her boss, Sara Albright, vice president/human resources, is a case in point how that can work out. Albright joined Bassett’s billing department 28 years
Substitutes needed for:
Charlotte Valley CSD Edmeston CSD Milford CSD Oneonta City SD Schenevus Stamford Windham-Ashland-Jewett CSD Worcester CSD ONC BOCES Teacher • LTAs, Aides & Monitors • Nurses Hourly Cleaners • Bus/Van Drivers Clerical/Office Support Food Service Workers Please visit www.oncboces.org/subs for application and information. EOE
ago, when her husband Matt enrolled at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, and moved up the ladder. So has Craig, who went from CCS to Purdue, where she majored in business, then joined Marriott Vacation Club in Hilton Head, N.C. She and husband Tom returned to Otsego County 19 years ago, joined Bassett HR 17 years ago. The couple has two children, Hannah, 14, and Dylan, 10.
Manufacturing, Eds, Meds, Finance Jobs JOBS/From Page 2 looking to increase their workforce. “They’re continuously hiring,” said Harris. “The job market is going to continue to be plentiful,” added Alan Sessions at CDO Workforce, Oneonta. “We’re facing a huge amount of retirements of skilled workers, and they’re going to need to be replaced.” And both Harris and Sessions see the growth in manufacturing opportunities as a way to keep young workers in the area. “We are sorely in need,” said Harris. In addition to manufacturing, there are often job openings in what Harris calls “Eds and Meds” – education and healthcare, as well as office jobs. “Finance is a big industry,” said Harris. “There is always a need for customer service representatives in that sector.”
Custom Electronics, a dynamic developer of green energy products, is looking for ambitious individuals to join our team to bring to market lithium ion based solutions through our intellectual property development program. Our Power and Energy and our High Voltage businesses are deploying energy storage and power management solutions in new applications. We have openings in the following areas: Winding | Molding | Soldering Testing | Electronic packaging Electronic assembly | Logistics Drafting (CAD operators) | Technicians Engineering
Please visit www.customelec.com for applications and information or send your resume to humanresources@customelec.com or apply in person at: Custom Electronics, Inc., 87 Browne Street Oneonta, NY, 13820
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The Job Scene B-7
Thursday, February 6, 2020
SUNY Oneonta Plans To Make 100 Hires This Year By JAMES CUMMINGS ONEONTA
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►CHECK OUT SUNY Oneonta careers at: https://suny.oneonta.edu/ about-oneonta/employment
“The benefits for working for the state are a good incentive to stay. The retirement benefits and health insurance are great,” said Tracy Hartwell, personnel assistant in Employment Opportunities. If you’re a recent graduate, there are advantages to that as well. “Some of our positions are attractive for recent graduates, such as student accounts, admissions, and the career development office. It gets people in the door. They have the ability to move up the career ladder,” said Carlton. Still, there remain positions that are challenging to find suitable candidates for. “For IT, there are more jobs than there are qualified individuals. So when we have jobs, we’re competing with other employers for these qualified candidates to fill our positions,” said Carleton. Maintenance is another area always in need of staff. “We also struggle to attract trade employees,” she said. “There are 3,500 students in housing on campus. All of their physical needs have to be met. All of the facilities need to be maintained and cleaned.”
Carlton admits that it’s also a very welcoming work environment. “There’s a wonderful family environment here. From the moment I started on campus until now, it’s been a very friendly place to work. It’s a great place to raise a family too.” For Joshua Nelson, who just accepted a position as assessment James Cummings/THE JOB SCENE specialist in Employment Opportunities’ Personnel Institutional Research, Assistant Tracy Hartwell welcomes new hire Joshua Nelson to SUNY that atmosOneonta. phere played a big factor in his decision to apply. human resources officer. “A friend suggested I apply “We’re not looking at just their job skills,” she said. “We here. It was an honest recommendation. It’s a great place look to see if they may have something to contribute to our to start a family,” he said. Being a state employee has campus community.” its perks too. According to Carleton, there are currently 16 position openings at the university, including five assistant professor positions in the Social Sciences Department. In all, the school has 1,157 employees. Additionally, Sodexo, which provides food services to the campus, Account Clerk/Typist employs 129 full-time and Business Office Manager seven part-time employees. Deputy School District Treasurer “We expect to hire about 100 employees over the Keyboard Specialist course of the year,” she said. Principal Account Clerk Typist And just because someone Principal Social Welfare Examiner starts off in one position, doesn’t mean that they Sr. Account Clerk/Typist stay there. For applications, exam announcements “We encourage people to build a career here,” and minimum qualifications, visit the said Carlton. “You start Otsego County Personnel Office, one place and you have 183 Main Street Cooperstown, or loads of opportunities to our web page at www.otsegocounty.com. transfer departments and EOE try new things.” As a recent hire herself, ith over 6,000 students in attendance, SUNY Oneonta needs staff who value more than just the job at hand, said Dia Carleton, chief
Otsego County is announcing Civil Service Examinations for the following:
“We’re essentially a city within a city,” said Hartwell. Additionally, Carleton notes, “On the faculty side there are some departments difficult to fill” – library,
human ecology, and economics and business departments. Carleton works directly with other department members to facilitate the hiring of new staff.
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Thursday, February 6, 2020
B-8 The Job Scene
ONEONTA JOB CORPS 607-431-1447
21 Homer Folk Avenue, Oneonta
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