Projo Biz Blog

WARWICK, R.I. -- Hundreds of people flocked to a job fair Tuesday morning offered by CVS Caremark Corp., which is looking to fill 100 full-time pharmacy technician positions at its new call center in Cumberland.

Job seekers came as early as 7:15 a.m. to the fair at the Community College of Rhode Island, took a number and waited to see a company recruiter. The doors officially opened at 10 a.m. The fair runs through 3 p.m. today.

The company said it plans to open a new call center at the Highland Corporate Park, near the Cumberland-Woonsocket border, and will need workers capable of answering questions on drug, insurance and pharmacy-related matters.

CVS is partnering with CCRI and the Providence Skills Center to train people, once hired, as pharmacy technicians. The rigorous 12-week program calls for learning about different drugs and medications, as well as learning about the various health insurances available

With the state's unemployment rate flying high at 12.7 percent, the fair drew as many twenty-somethings just out of college, as those twice as old and just out of work.

"I was laid off last year,'' said Trudee Silva, 56, of Cranston. Silva, a former school teacher, had been working as a dental hygenist, but was let go last October. Since then she has scraped to get by, and has nearly evaporated her life savings, she said.

"There are no full-time jobs out there. If you look closely, there are part-time jobs, or Saturday's only," Silva said. "I'm among the overqualified unemployed. I couldn't get a job at the Dunkin' Donuts."

 Tags  CCRI CVS jobs pharmacy technicians unemployment

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