Dominion Hosts Jobs Expo

As this year is drawing to a close quite a few stories will continue into 2017. One of them is the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Local residents eager to hear what jobs are predicted to come with the Pipeline may have learned more in early December. Dominion Transfer, the company responsible for the ACP construction held an expo in Fishersville to get contact information from possible employees. Three unions, teamsters, pipefitting and general labor were present, and anyone interested in one of those areas was encouraged to sign up through them. Vendors of other services, such as restaurants, caterers, convenience stores, or lodging entered their data at a bank of computers. The lead

contractor, Spring Ridge Constructors LLC is formed from Michels Corporation, Price Gregory International, Inc, Rockford Corporation, and U.S. Pipeline, Inc ..

There were large photos depicting what construction might look like before during and after. I asked Aaron Ruby, media specialist what the goal is of the job fairs, and how well, Dominion is achieving that.

“Well, we are very pleased with the turnout we’ve had. This is the third event of seven. We’ve had three hundred fifty people in Bridgeport, about two hundred folks in Elkins, and well over two hundred folks here in Fishersville. So we’re just thrilled with the turnout.”

Aaron Ruby continued,

“The reason why we’re holding these construction expos is we want to introduce our lead construction contractor to the community, and we also want to provide all the information local businesses and local workers will need in order to get involved with construction. And so there is a whole host of different services, and supplies and materials that we’re going to need to build the pipeline, and there’s also going to be opportunities for thousands of local workers, to help us build the pipeline. So if you’re a teamster, or an equipment operator, or a pipefitter, or a welder, you know now is the opportunity to learn how you can get involved. What are the steps you can take now in terms of training and certification? “

I spoke to Fred from Craigsville, who had left his job on lunch break to come see what might be available.

“They’ve got some welding jobs here which, I have done a little welding and they also have some truck-driving jobs, which I have a class A CDL which uh, may be interested in. They’ll be having some school buses, gas trucks, fuel trucks and all that running around on the job, and they’ll need a lot of drivers. I also operate heavy equipment, and I don’t know that what they’ll need any equipment operators. I’m sure they will need some, but I don’t know if it’s what I’m operating or not, what they’ll need.

Fred described the process of how those interested in employment give their contact information to the lead contractor.

“Did they give you any sense of whether you’d be covering Bath Highland, Augusta and Nelson, or it’s too soon to tell? “

“It’s probably too soon to tell, but one of the guys I was talking to said that some of the contractors could have ninety to a hundred miles to work on, so that gives you an idea of where you might be. You may be in a couple of different counties.”

For more coverage of the Atlantic Coast pipeline in 2017, say tuned to Allegheny Mountain Radio.