ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With the need for bus drivers remaining high, Orange County Public Schools held the first of many summer job fairs Monday at Edgewater High School.
Carlyn Harris is a manager of employee services with OCPS and said the district is hoping to get a head start on hiring for the upcoming school year.
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“For right now, we have a need for about 100 bus drivers and about 20 fleet mechanics,” Harris said.
The event was held after several employees retired at the end of the last school year, which put the district in about the same position it was in last summer.
“As (employees) leave, we get fresh people in. So, we’re doing it through the summer, so they can get trained and get ready for the new school year,” Harris said.
The hiring effort came a few weeks after alerts were sent to parents warning that the lack of bus drivers could lead to delays during the final days of school.
Harris said the district is hoping to avoid a similar situation by holding several job fairs and reaching out to the retirement community.
“We get you on a bus with trainers until you know the route, you learn the route and you know what’s expected of you. Then we get you ready for the next school year,” Harris said.
New hires will receive a $1,000 sign-on bonus and the district will pay for commercial driver license training.
The next career fair will be held June 20 at Wekiva High School.
For details about upcoming events and how to apply for positions, visit the OCPS website.