Gresham Jobs: City Tries 'Creative' Approach To Recruit Workers

GRESHAM, OR — Gresham needs seasonal workers and is taking what it calls a "creative" approach to recruiting. The city has more than 30 openings for six-month jobs.

Gresham has around openings for seasonal public utility workers to support the city's operations center. The city is having trouble getting people to apply.

Instead of waiting for people to come to the city, Gresham is literally hitting the streets to look for applicants.

Members of the city's Homeless Services Team is taking applications from unhoused people as they work the streets helping them. The city hoped that team members encounter people looking for work, it said.

"Gresham's Homeless Services Team connects people experiencing homelessness with the resources they need, including employment," community services manager Jessica Harper said.

"Some of our staff have lived experience with homelessness, and for them, getting a reliable, well-paying job was one of the main things that have propelled them off the streets and into stable housing," she added.

Job details are as follows.

• Jobs start in May and continue for up to six months.
• Jobs are based in the city's operations center, which supports the wastewater, parks, stormwater and transportation departments.
• The pay is $19.27 per hour.

The city set up a jobs website with more information.