VIERA, Fla. — Brevard County is facing a staff shortage and was looking to fill the gaps with a job fair, and about 100 turned out for the event.

The county's Public Works department currently has a 25% staff vacancy, with 75 open positions out of their full strength of 240 employees. County officials say that they need to hire a total of 350 people.

The pandemic has made it more difficult to find qualified candidates, according to Brevard County spokesman Don Walker.

"Since the pandemic and before the pandemic, it's gotten very competitive. Fewer people are looking for work, our employment numbers are down," Walker said.

To address the staffing shortage, the county hosted the job fair at the government complex in Viera.

The event sought to attract job seekers interested in working for Brevard County and featured quick turnarounds for hiring.

Public Works maintenance manager Ryan Meryl, who has been with the county for 22 years, said that working for Brevard County has been the best decision he has ever made.

Meryl has worked in various roles, including maintenance worker, heavy equipment operator, area superintendent, and his current role.

"The employees that work here are good guys, they come out here, they work hard for ya," Meryl said. "It's a great place to work."

Public Works is specifically looking to recruit CDL drivers, but the county is looking to fill positions across various departments.

Interested job seekers were encouraged to attend the job fair to learn more about the available positions and potentially start working within a few days.