Fresh off building a 600,000 square foot distribution center, Reliance Worldwide is looking for a few good men and women and by “a few” we mean “lots.” The company announced at the groundbreaking of the new distribution center in October 2020 that the planned 300,000 square foot building, with an estimated $24 million economic impact, would create 130 new jobs. The project – and the need for even more employees – has since expanded.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a global provider of water control systems and plumbing solutions for domestic, commercial and industrial applications, bought Cash Acme, a company headquartered in Cullman, 18 years ago and has since expanded its presence in Cullman. 

Along with seeking employees to be shipping associates and materials handlers within the distribution center, RWC will also be accepting applications for other roles within the company, such as machine operators and team leaders. RWC in Cullman currently employs close to 500 people.

Mary Glenn White, who works in human resources for RWC, said they’ve been slowly ramping up hiring for the distribution center, but in the current employment environment, hiring “is hard.” 

RWC is not alone in trying to find employees. Walmart, ClaytonSE Homes, Buffalo Wild Wings and several fast food restaurants are among the many Cullman businesses advertising openings; some even offer sign on bonuses as an extra incentive. According to the Alabama Department of Labor, the five occupations with the most online job ads continue to be for registered nurses, retail salespersons, customer service representatives, sales representatives, and truck drivers with 14,072 ads placed for those occupations in August, the most recent figures available.

Cullman County has the state’s second lowest unemployment rate, 2%, meaning just 784 Cullman County residents of working age are jobless, actively seeking work and available for employment, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. That number is down from 1,618 for September of last year. For the week ending Oct. 23, 2021, just 33 people in Cullman County filed unemployment insurance claims. 

“It is an extremely tight job market, and that’s not just in Cullman, or North Alabama, it’s across the country,” said Cullman Economic Development Director Dale Greer. “It’s also telling that there are a large number of people not participating in the workforce. We’ve got to look at how to get them back in the workforce.” 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 43% of working age adults in Cullman County are not in the workforce. Some of that may be attributed to the pandemic, he said, but companies need to get the word out about employment opportunities. “There’s some real quality jobs out there,” he said.

According to Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington, Alabama continues to add jobs and wages are also increasing. “This month, we not only saw our highest jobs count of 2021, but we set a new record post-pandemic high for the number of jobs our economy is supporting,” he said. “Businesses have gained more than 63,000 jobs over the year, and some of the hardest hit industries, including the leisure and hospitality industry, continue to lead the state in over-the-year growth and registering significantly higher wages.”

Average weekly earnings measured $981.73 in September, representing an over-the-year increase of $56.67. Leisure and hospitality earnings increased by $32.52 over the year.

The jobs RWC is recruiting for on Thursday pay $15-17 per hour. RWC’s staffing agency will also be at the job fair, giving employees who don’t meet the requirement for a direct hire the opportunity to be hired by the staffing agency and get the training needed to be hired on at RWC directly. 

“We have a 30-day hire-on with the staffing agency,” said White. The company has been running ads to recruit employees, noting, “We are always looking out for fresh talent to bring new ideas and strengthen our teams. Whether you are starting out in your career or are an established professional looking to progress, we invite you to join us and help us shape a better world for you, our customers and communities.”

The RWC job fair will take place on Thursday, Nov. 4 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the distribution center at 2260 Ege Farm Dr. SW.