The Big E is staffed up, as hundreds wait to be hired

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -- The Big E is just 2 days away and as the countdown comes to an end, many people are still trying to get a job working there.

Now, if you were hoping to work at the fair this season you can still apply - but there may be a long wait.

Western Mass News stopped by the fairgrounds Wednesday to check in with fair officials who told us they’re all staffed up and ready to go for The Big E kickoff this Friday.

“We currently have 500 hundred people who are looking for jobs,” explained Jessica Fontaine, Director of Education & Human Resources, at the Eastern States Exposition.

She told us that they continue to take applications throughout the fair just in case any of their vendors need an extra hand. However, as of right now all of the jobs for the 2023 Big E are completely filled.

“People are always very interested in working for the fair. We are very lucky even in challenging employment times. We have no problem bringing people in, it’s really fun to work at the fair and also some people use it as a time to just pick up some extra cash for your holiday spending,” said Fontaine.

She added that they generally hire around 250 new people every year for the fair and their vendors do their hiring separately, so it varies by year.

But considering they have about 1,200 employees during the 17 day fair, Fontaine noted that it’s a pretty small amount in comparison to those who come back year after year.

And although the work at The Big E is fun like any other job, it comes with challenges.

“We do a lot of hard work, and we work no matter the weather, so certainly there are some people that do end up picking up some extra help during the fair particularly for the positions that are outside for all 17 days,” explained Fontaine.

She adds they will have people on standby to reach out to applicants during the fair if more staff is needed and she wants to remind everyone that they do have a job fair in mid-August every year.

“The majority of people who go to our job fair do get hired,” Fontaine told us.

So, if you’re interested in working at The Big E in the future Fontaine suggests keeping an eye out on their website following the this year’s fair for details on their 2024 hiring events.

Click Here for more information on Big E employment.

Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.