Philadelphia International Airport Holds Job Fair

Philadelphia International Airport is in immediate need of over three hundred good men (and women) to employ across forty businesses, which include airlines, restaurants, car rental companies, retailers and government agencies.

Philadelphia International Airport is hiring! (ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ  / THE INQUIRER)

The fact that the airport had a lot of job vacancies came up at a recent City Council meeting. It was noticed that Division of Aviation’s upcoming budget called for 900 jobs, but only 757 have been filled to date. According to Philly.com, “The city-owned airport urgently needs custodians, and skilled trades workers, such as HVAC mechanics, electricians, and stationary engineers who work on boilers and large operating equipment.”

Finding good people for the jobs is not an easy process. To work for the airport, applicants must pass a civil service exam, a criminal background check, and drug screening. Many of the jobs require “odd” hours and weekend work, so they aren’t always the easiest spots to fill. And transportation to the airport is a problem for some.

“We have almost 400 custodial positions. We have great difficulty filling those,” Philadelphia International Airport CEO Chellie Cameron told the City Council. “We struggle right now to staff the midnight shift, and that’s where they do the very deep cleaning of the terminals, and the bathrooms where they get into every nook and cranny and buff the floors.”

To help fill the vacancies, the airport is holding a job fair at the Temple University Liacouras Center. It started at 10 a.m. and will go until 3 this afternoon. Applicants are encouraged to attend in professional business-wear and to bring at least 25 copies of their resume. The fair is free to attend and there is no requirement for pre-registration. Those seeking jobs at Philadelphia International Airport will have access to a variety of tools to help them out, including a computer lab and professionals for one-on-one resume assistance.

Starting pay is $29,800 for city and PHL custodians.