Posted on 06/01/2002 4:50:29 PM PDT by FourPeas
Such are the workings of love that 23-year-old Luke Darling is shucking his upper management position at Hooters and applying for a job with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
A well-paid manager for Hooters restaurants in Bay City and Saginaw, he moved to Grand Rapids, where he plans to get married this fall.
"You can't have a job with Hooters and be getting married," said Darling, who was among at least 200 local residents who applied for jobs as federal transportation security screeners at Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Grand Rapids was one of three cities Friday where the federal government recruited applicants at job fairs as it prepares to take over airport security screening after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The other cities were Louisville, Ky. and Mobile, Ala.
"The turnout's been fantastic," said Brian Turmail, TSA spokesman. "I think it's been overwhelmingly positive."
The TSA, formed by Congress in November 2001 must take over all airline passenger screening by Nov. 18. No hiring date was set for screeners in Grand Rapids, Turmail said.
"We want to build the widest pool of candidates and encourage current contract screeners also to apply," he said.
Grand Rapids was among the first cities where TSA sought applicants because the airport was visited by a survey team that looked at its checkpoints and reconfiguring equipment, Turmail said.
The airport also was one of the first in the country to receive explosive detection systems to scan all checked-in luggage.
"We have a better picture of our needs in an airport like Grand Rapids where we have had a survey team," Turmail said.
Darling, who will take "a huge pay cut" if he gets a job as an airport screener, is not just doing it for love.
"The benefits are great, my mom was telling me," he said.
Security screeners, who identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo and on passengers, get paid $23,600 to $35,000 a year and receive full federal benefits.
Those who showed up at the job fair at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel spent about a half-hour on computers applying for the jobs online.
That is step one in a process that includes English language proficiency tests, background checks, medical and fitness tests and pre-employment drug tests, officials said.
Tiffany Zander, 28, of Saranac, completed the online application and was waiting for her boyfriend, Paul Burns, 33, also of Saranac.
Neither thought they would apply for a job as a federal security screener at an airport.
But neither expected Sept. 11, either.
"They seem to pay well," said Zander, who is unemployed. "I like the idea that they're going through the whole screening process. It makes me feel a little bit more comfortable."
While Zander said she was not sure how qualified she was for the job -- most of her experience was in manufacturing and clerical -- Burns seemed to be a good fit. He received a certificate for corrections at Lansing Community College.
"It might help," he said. "I know how to do pat-downs and things like that."
Burns needs a job soon. He is among 240 who will lose their jobs at Attwood Corp. in Lowell, a subsidiary of office furniture maker Steelcase. Steelcase announced plans to cut those jobs in May.
Making the symbol for a dive with his hand, Burns said: "I had a good job, but after Sept. 11 it's been ..."
"Now, it's just ... " And he held up two crossed fingers for luck.
We're from the government and we're here to help....
Especially from guys with a "certificate for corrections" from a podunk community college. On the bright side, he'll make a great federal worker.
Yup, working with a lot of boobs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.