More than 300 people came to the expo to visit with the 35 employers who were on hand, according to Scott McKay of Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, one of the career expo sponsors.

The types of employers represented were varied, ranging from distribution to health care to computer programming to manufacturing.

With Ancira RV leaving the area and Circuit City announcing this week that it was closing its Temple store there are some newly unemployed people looking for new jobs, McKay said.

During the morning the job seekers were predominately from the general public, but it was thought that more students would show up later in the day or around lunch, he said.

“A group of about 30 students from the high school came in,” McKay said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to find part-time positions or jobs during the holiday.”

Eliska Hessbrook of ArtcoBell Corp. said the company would probably begin hiring in December and January.

“Right now we’re looking for customer service, engineering and other positions,” she said.

ArtcoBell, a school furniture manufacturer in Temple, has about 500 employees, with close to 900 workers during peak production times, Ms. Hessbrook said.

“We’ve had good response,” she said of the career expo. “I was surprised by the number of people we’ve seen so far.”

William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home was also at the expo.

John McCaskill, a nurse at the veterans home, said they are primarily looking for health care providers, but was also talking to people interested in dietary or housekeeping positions.

McCaskill said the home has had good results in the past at the career expo and Wednesday’s was no different.

Gracie Conner and Lanell Mikeska of the business community education department at Temple College had a booth with information on the many noncredit classes offered at TC on building skills.

Ms. Conner said she also was recruiting, getting the names of people who could teach community education classes.

TC offers computer classes that touch on a number of different programs, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Workshop and Indesign. There are also allied health classes that offer certification once completed.

“One of the classes we’re going to offer beginning in January is about budgeting,” Ms. Conner said.

Claudia Phelps, recruiter with Division of Blind Services for the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, said she was at the fair to let people know what services are available.

“We assist people who are blind to find work or keep the job that they have,” Ms. Phelps said.

Sponsors of the career expo were Central Texas Human Resources Management Association, Cumulus Broadcasting, KCEN-TV, Temple Chamber of Commerce, Temple College, Temple Daily Telegram and Workforce Solutions.