Local experts say if you're looking to re-enter the workforce, now is a good time to apply.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At the Brownie Baker in northwest Fresno, sweet treats are produced every day.
Recently the company held a job fair looking for help to make more treats.
"We're a company that works basically Monday through Friday, we're off most weekends. We think we've got a pretty attractive place to work and to have people not show up was very alarming, very alarming," says Mike Collins with The Brownie Baker.
Collins with the Brownie Baker says three people showed up and were hired. He would like to employ more than 20 people.
Pay starts at $14 and goes up for positions.
A National Retail Federation of independent businesses survey showed a record 42% of small businesses had job openings they could not fill in March, even with raising pay.
Still they're facing a worker shortage.
So what's causing people to stay out of the job market?
Reuters came up with reasons for the shortage, ranging from childcare, health risks concerns, retiring workers, younger workers finding jobs in new fields, not having skilled work experience, and some employers believe that unemployment benefits are keeping workers from re-entering jobs.
Scelzi Enterprises in Fresno says it needs workers and is paying well and going above and beyond to train people.
"It's just very difficult, as far as skilled Labor goes we've also taught them how to read tape measures we've taught them how to do electrical we bring a person in as a general Labor and we'll teach them skills, but they need to show up every day," said Gary Scelzi with Scelzi Enterprises.
Many restaurants and hotels are also hiring.
Although leisure and hospitality has added 5.4 million jobs over the year, employment in the industry is down by 2.8 million since February 2020.
Local experts we talked with say if you're looking to re-enter the workforce, now is a good time to apply.
Click here if you want to apply for a position with the Brownie Baker.
Click here if you want to apply for a position with Scelzi Enterprises.