Sunriver Resort holds job fair, plans to hire 400; some leave with new jobs

(Update: Adding video, comments)

'I wasn't expecting to get a job today, but now I'm employed'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Sunriver Resort held a job fair Wednesday evening as they prepare to bring on as many as 400 new employees for the summer.

Lindsay Borkowski, the resort's director of sales and marketing, says they are looking to be back at full capacity with 900-1,000 staff members in place, despite recently rising levels of COVID cases in Deschutes County.

She says their location and overall resort space has allowed them to maintain protocols and safety precautions better than most.

And although many businesses have reached out to NewsChannel 21 as they struggle to find new job applicants, Sunriver Resort is not wasting any time, with many people heading home Wednesday with new jobs.

Borkowski says the resort is looking to return to normal, as best they can, to prepare for what they anticipate will be a busy season.

"So this year honestly, our employee base will represent full capacity compared to a normal year," Borkowski said.

She added that she believes many people visiting or staying at the resort from out of the area feel safer, due to their spread out location.

"Normally, we're operating at 900-1000 total associates at Sunriver," Borkowski said. "And I would guess we're going to be close to that 900 number this year."

The full-time seasonal positions include:

• Culinary and housekeeping staff
• Golf services and shop attendants
• Greenskeepers, spa service providers
• Food and beverage
• Management

Justin Oliver, a Central Oregon native who just moved back to the High Desert from Reno with his wife, is one of those who walked away with a new job Wednesday evening.

"I'm actually really surprised," Oliver said. "I heard about this on the radio this morning, so I wasn't expecting to get a job today -- but now I'm employed."

And it's a job he's familiar with.

"Well, I used to work at Black Butte Ranch golf course when I was in high school," Oliver said. "I'm going to be doing landscaping here, so it's mostly going to be mowing the golf courses and getting everything set up for the morning crew."

But with the rise in COVID-19 cases in Deschutes County, is there a concern for a lack of applicants?

Borkowski says applicants appear to feel safe, but she admits they don't have an exact answer for staffing shortages, due to so many factors at play.

"I've heard people say maybe our staffing shortage is actually due to fear of COVID," Borkowski said. "A lot of people have said, 'Oh, it's all economic, the stimulus, people collecting unemployment and making more money.' All those assumptions are rolling around."

But she says she's confident their location and widespread resort space makes their work environment safer and easier to manage certain COVID protocols.