August 04, 2025
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Princeton Chamber hosting ‘job fair in a bag’

Two local recruiters are working to connect people with job positions

By Goldie Rapp

Princeton Area Chamber members recently gathered at the Prouty Building to recognize new member Jacob Love, recruiter with the Illinois National Guard. Love hopes to partner with local businesses to assist them in filling available positions. Pictured (back row, from) Steve Bouslog, Rochelle Becker, Tim Bissonette, Jenica Cole, Ryan Keutzer, Kerri Hicks, JoAnne Sheldon, Tracy Grimmer, Jerry Neumann and Derek Fetzer, (front row, from left) Dana Piacenti, Roxanna Noble, Love, Jaime Deiters, Deb Cools and Theresa Wittenauer. (BCR Photo/Pam Marsh)

PRINCETON — There are hundreds of local jobs needing to be filled, and the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting an event on Friday, Oct. 15, to help connect potential employees to these available positions.

The chamber will host a drive-thru job fair at the Prouty Building from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is open to all ages and experiences.

Attendees will drive-thru the back parking lot to receive a packet of job openings and descriptions from local employers in manufacturing, retail, food service and much more.

Community members are invited to participate by submitting a resume or application at the event.

The chamber has teamed up with the Business Employment Skills Team and the Illinois Department of Employment Security to help community members find jobs.

Princeton Chamber Director Jenica Cole said this event is COVID safe and is a good way to provide a service for chamber members struggling to find employees, as well as provide a service to those affected by COVID and may need a job or are looking for a different job.

“I would like to go back to hosting an in-person job fair annually, hopeful for 2022 and please watch for it, but for now, especially with the extra unemployment benefits expiring, we feel this was very needed all around for our community and membership,” Cole said.

Jacob Love, staff sergeant with the Illinois National Guard, is one of Princeton Chamber’s newest members and has plans to partner with local businesses to help fill jobs, especially local trade jobs.

“I want to get the word out as to what I can do to help businesses get qualified employees,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know what the National Guard does and what the options are or what it can do for people in general.”

National Guard can offer much more than “straight military,” as Love describes it. There are 87 different career paths the National Guard can assist people with finding.

“There are a multitude of jobs where I can get people trained to go into the work force ... I usually sign people up where they’re going to get diesel mechanic training or medic training. We also have jobs in the legal and administrative fields,” Love said.

The National Guard provides the training for the career paths, for example those needing a CDL to become a truck driver can receive that with the National Guard.

“There are a lot of employers out there are in need of qualified workers,” Love said. “I want to partner with businesses that need employers in different areas and see if I can’t help them get young people interested in their field.”

Those interested is talking more with Love can call/text 309-212-4314. Love will set up an appointment to meet with you wherever you’re located. His information will also be on brochures available in the racks inside the Prouty Building.

There is also a new healthcare recruiting business in town. BroadPath opened inside The Knox Hotel in mid-July, and started recruiting local employees for its clients at the end of August.

The business is now in the process of opening at its new location in the Princeton Plaza, next to Harvest Reality.

Jaime Deiters is the recruiting and community manager for the site office.

Deiters explained how the healthcare solutions company is working to bring “a mass amount” of work-from-home jobs to the Illinois Valley.

“We feel there are not a lot of opportunities for people in our area, and work-from-home is something I think is desirable,” she said.

At BroadPath, 97% of employees work from home.

Aside from hiring local employers, BroadPath of Princeton will also be working to build a sense of community for the local employees it hires.

“We want people to engage with each other like they’re a part of something. We also want to engage with the community and get involved in volunteer projects,” Deiters said.

BroadPath is hosting an open house/hiring event on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Deiters invites the community to come out and see the new office and inquire about the available jobs waiting to be filled.

Available jobs throughout the area are also posted on the chamber website: www.princetonchamber-il.com.