Job Fair For 2018 U.S. Open Golf Championship Planned

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — With the 2018 U.S. Open Golf Championship coming to Southampton in June, an array of jobs are still available.

A job fair, organized in partnership with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and Southampton Village Mayor Michael Irving, will take place at Southampton Town Hall, located at 116 Hampton Road, in the lower level conference room on Friday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is the fifth time the championship is being hosted locally; the event takes place from June 11 to 17 at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton.

Positions available include openings for licensed security guards, action station attendants, bartenders, beverage managers, buffet managers, dishwashers, event ambassadors, kitchen assistants, shuttle attendants, operations helpers, parking attendants, production assistants, servers, sous chefs, tent chefs, and tent supervisors.

"Bring your resume and dress to impress," job fair organizers said. No registration is necessary and all are welcome.

In February, Bellone announced that the U.S. open would bring more than 550 job openings to the area.

Bellone announced at the time that the county would be supporting the recruiting efforts of Ridgewells, one of the vendors for the U.S. Open Golf Championship, to fill the more than 550 temporary food service and hospitality jobs at the 118th U.S. Open Championship.

A previous job fair was held in East Hampton, and the company has been working with St. Joseph's College through the college's hospitality and tourism management program to generate additional interest, Bellone said.

"The ultimate test in golf is returning to Suffolk County, Long Island," Bellone said. "I encourage anyone who is interested in seeking a temporary job or looking to take advantage of the historic experience to apply online as we look this make this another memorable event."

In partnership with the Suffolk County Department of Labor and the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, Ridgewells will manage the recruitment, hiring and training of all event staff to support the catering operation at the U.S. Open, Bellone said.

The golf championship is anticipated to generate between $120 million to $130 million in economic impact for the region, Bellone said in a release.

The analysis, he said, is based on expected weekly attendance of more than 200,000 people, including players, fans, volunteers, vendors and media.

There will also be approximately 8,000 hotel rooms booked, along with an average of 3,500 temporary job opportunities, with many more to be unveiled in the coming months ahead. The championship is expected to be viewed by more than 80 million people in over 150 countries, creating additional tourism exposure for Suffolk County, Bellone said.

Interested candidates can also send their resumes to usopenstaff@ridgewells.com and indicate the position in the subject line. For more information on county-wide job fairs, call 631-853-6600 or visit the One-Stop Employment Center.

"Hiring workers from the surrounding communities is an essential element in providing a first-class experience for fans at the U.S. Open," Charlie Howe, USGA Director, 2018 U.S. Open Championship, said. "As the Championship approaches we will see more of our vendors seeking local employees to fill key positions."

Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning Commissioner Theresa Ward added: "This is a great opportunity for locals to participate in this global event and earn extra income. It's a win-win for Suffolk County."

Patch courtesy photo.