Merck To Host NC Career Fair This Saturday, September 18

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North Carolina’s biopharmaceutical industry is growing rapidly, and so is the need for a qualified workforce to fill a wide variety of manufacturing roles.

Merck, one of the world’s largest producers of vaccines and other medicines, is no exception. The company has announced several recent major expansions at its plants in Durham and Wilson, and that’s creating a demand for new employees.

So Merck is hosting a career fair this Saturday, September 18, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the grounds of St. Joseph AME Church, 2521 Fayetteville Street in Durham. A number of the company’s North Carolina-based employees will be on hand to meet attendees, discuss employment opportunities, answer questions and assist anyone who is interested in pursuing a career with the New Jersey-headquartered company.  

Representatives from Durham Technical Community College also will be available to discuss pharmaceutical training programs the school offers to area residents.

“The career fair provides an opportunity to learn more about who we are, what we do and what Merck has to offer in terms of a pharmaceutical career,” said Merck’s Durham Site Leader Amanda Taylor. “We require no pre-registration, it’s an informal atmosphere, and we invite anyone in the region who is interested to join us.” 

The company said it currently is seeking candidates to fill positions that range widely in their requirements for training and education. Entry-level jobs may demand no more than a high school diploma and minimal experience. 

The career fair also is designed to support the OneTen initiative, a national coalition of leading CEOs and organizations created late last year to promote diversity and a more equitable society. It aims to improve workplace inclusivity practices to close opportunity gaps for Black Americans. The goal is to increase skill levels, hire and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. 

Merck is one of the founding members of the initiative and former Merck CEO Ken Frazier is co-chair of OneTen. Other major participating pharmaceutical companies include Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, and Eli Lilly. Such household names as General Motors, Walmart, Verizon, Nike, PepsiCo, American Express and Bank of America also are included among OneTen’s ranks.

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