FLETCHER, N.C. (WLOS) — A Publix store opening in Mills River is bringing 140 jobs to the area, and the supermarket chain is holding a job fair that runs through the weekend.
Publix job fair continues through Sunday as Mills River store plans 140 hires. (WLOS)
Organizers of the fair, which will continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, say there was a good turnout on Friday, especially from teens.
District Manager Brett Thomas tells News 13 that this is a great thing, because the younger they start, the better retention.
"I think Publix is a really good thing that's happening here," said Daniela Herrera-Ortiz, a Carolina Day School student who attended the job fair.
Nathan Ramsey with the Land of Sky Regional Council says the 140 jobs this store, located at 70 Vance Hill Drive, will bring is certainly needed in the western North Carolina region.
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"We lost jobs in the past year after Helene, so although our unemployment rate is back to second lowest in North Carolina, we have less people working in our region today than we did prior to Helene," Ramsey said. "So we’ve got a lot of work to do to help our labor market recover."
Ramsey says the jobs in the region on average pay less than the jobs in North Carolina and nationwide. The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Employment Projections from 2024 to 2034 shows that 73% of projected annual job openings in the Asheville region have a median annual wage of less than $50,000, 24% within $50,000 to $100,000 and 3% at $100,000 or more.
"We’re always trying to search for higher-wage jobs, but employers are trying to hire across many different sectors," Ramsey said.
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Jared Glover with Publix says that the 140 positions are all in-store. He says that while people often start as a store clerk, they can move their way up to those middle-income jobs, filling management positions or working for the corporate office.
"Whether it’s part-time through school, whether you want to make it a career or you’re a kid in high school looking for their first job like me - you could end up making a career out of it 26 years later," said Thomas.
As for Herrera-Ortiz, she said her end goal is to pursue a career in health care. But she says a job with Publix would help her gain experience working with people.
"I’m definitely going to do this until I graduate, because I do like having the independence of working in a separate place," said Herrera-Ortiz.
Publix said it is also planning a new store in Asheville off New Leicester Highway. There has been no timeframe announced yet of when construction will begin or be completed.
You can apply for jobs with Publix on their website.