KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Area Transit is hosting two large job fairs this week where they hope to find people able to fill vacancies for a variety of positions.
The job fairs will be on Thursday, 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. and on Saturday, 9 a.m. through 2 p.m. They will be held in the Knoxville Station Community Room, located at 301 East Church Avenue.
KAT also announced some new starting pay rates for applicants. Full-time bus operators will be able to immediately start making $18 per hour, while full-time trolley operators can make $16.55 per hour. Full-time members of the service team will be able to make $17.92 per hour, according to KAT.
Full-time employees will also be eligible for benefits like health, vision and dental insurance. They will also be able to take part in a 403(b) retirement plan and have access to paid time off including paid holidays and sick leave that accumulates monthly. KAT said they also offer paid training.
KAT also said that bus operators will have built-in pay raises every year until they reach $25.20 per hour, or around $52,000 per year, after four years of work. They said trolley operators and maintenance service team members have similar opportunities for wage growth.
KAT will also have an electric vehicle at the job fairs so applicants can take a closer work at the workspace. Interviews will be held during the job fairs for anyone interested in applying, with job offers on the spot.
Anyone interested in working with KAT needs to be 21 years old or older with a high school diploma or a GED. They must also have a Tennessee driver's license, although KAT said they would prefer Class B CDLs. Applicants without a CDL will be able to go through training to get one, they said.