Hundreds turn out for Dougherty County School System career fair

ALBANY — Hundreds of job seekers braved rainy weather over the weekend to talk to leaders from schools and programs across the Dougherty County School System.

The DCSS Career Fair at the Albany Civic Center Saturday is part of the district’s new aggressive campaign to put the “best people” in key roles across the district’s schools and programs.

“We’re taking a fresh look at ways we can attract the best talent from across the state and the country to serve in our district,” Superintendent Kenneth Dyer said. “This Career Fair is just one way we are working to recruit the talent our students and stakeholders need and deserve.”

District leaders and principals began Friday setting up at the civic center where they would be conducting on-the-spot interviews with job seekers, as well as providing additional information about their schools and programs. More than 250 people met with DCSS officials about vacancies Saturday.

Jill Addison, the system’s Human Resources director, said the fair is a good way that job seekers and decisionmakers can meet face-to-face and begin to build lasting relationships.

“Here, job candidates are able to sit down, learn about programs and schools, and work with key decisionmakers to determine if they are a good fit,” Addison said. “It’s really a win-win for the district and prospective employees.”

The event is just one way the district is courting talent. System and school representatives have been working with colleges and universities across the Southeast to build the DCSS brand and to tap into new talent markets. The district is also partnering with job boards and sites to get higher-profile listings and has partnered with organizations like The Albany Herald through the job posting site Monster to take a more targeted approach at filling vacancies.

The district is also focused on growing teachers and leaders within the organization. This year, the district has partnered with Albany State University.