BAE Systems aims to hire 1,200 people

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Officials with a Mobile company held a job fair Thursday, and said the turnout was much better than they expected.

BAE Systems held a job fair at the company shipyard to try to fill several hundred positions in the shipbuilding industry.

The company said it expects to hire 1,200 people over the next 15 months.

BAE Systems is hiring pipe fitters, welders, and marine electricians, among other people.

Gia Hawkins with BAE Systems said, "We have 1,200 (positions) that we have to fill by December of next year. Today, I have my fingers crossed. I want to make about 250 offers today."

All the people we talked to here Thursday were unemployed.

When asked how long she had been unemployed, Trelean Dixon of Mobile said, "A year. It's crazy. Its an adjustment. It really is."

Donna Tew of Saraland said, "I've been unemployed for five weeks tomorrow, and I've sent out 90 resumes."

Daniel Scott was laid off from Thyssenkrupp recently, and was trying to keep his spirits up, for himself and his family.

Scott said, "I have two children and a wife. One is five and one is nine months."

He also said it wasn't easy, "with the worry of everything:  mortgages, day care, everything else comes into play."

Marques Salter drove down from Atmore looking for a welding job.

He's been unemployed for more than two months and, he, also, has children.

Salter said, "I have one that's eight, and one that's six. Its tough to talk about: very, very tough. I love them to death, and this is why I'm here:  (to) just make a better life for me and them, just doing the best I can."