Written by Steve Costello

Looking for a new job, opportunity, and lifestyle?  Rutland County may have just what you’re looking for, with extremely low unemployment, incredible recreational resources, and hundreds of great jobs available across a variety of industries!

When people think of economic development, they probably think about recruiting new manufacturers or tech businesses to help cut unemployment and create opportunities.  Here in Rutland County, the recruitment of people is our most important job, because we have hundreds of employers who are having a hard time filling open positions. Virtually every member of the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) lists job recruitment among their biggest challenges.

Vermont’s unemployment rate is around 3 percent, half the national rate – which means employers are hungry for good workers, from entry-level positions to top-tier leaders.

We especially need people with medical skills, from registered nurses to occupational therapists to surgeons.  And educators and tradespeople of all kinds are in high demand, too!

So, what kind of employers will you find in Rutland County?  We have some of the most innovative companies in the world, craft breweries that helped make Vermont a craft-beer Mecca, world-class health care, and the leading skiing, riding, and summer resort east of the Rockies.

  • The region’s manufacturers make everything from jet engine parts (GE-Aviation) and high-end chandeliers (Hubbardton Forge) to the world’s most famous oyster crackers (Westminster Crackers) and the largest assortment of cookie-cutters in the world (Ann Clark Cookie Cutters).
  • Our local utility, Green Mountain Power, was the world’s first utility certified as a Benefits Corporation, meaning it puts customers, community and the environment on a level playing field with investors, and it’s been on Fast Company magazine’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list four years in a row. And Rutland is the solar capital of New England!
  • Craft breweries like Rutland Beer Works, Red Clover Ale Company, and Foley Brothers Brewing in Brandon, Limabru Tasty in Proctor, and Killington Beer Works produce ales, stouts, pilsners, and, of course, New England-style IPAs that has become one of Vermont’s calling cards.
  • Rutland Regional Medical Center is one of the best “small” hospitals in the country, winning awards year after year for quality care and patient outcomes. And the hospital’s location just down the mountain from the world-class skiing at Killington Resort means we have one of the finest orthopedic clinics in the world, Vermont Orthopedics.
  • Vermont Orthopedics is a national leader in the treatment of sports injuries and treats professional athletes, members of the U.S. Olympics Team, as well as locals, whether they have a ski injury or need a new hip or knee. Between Vermont Orthopedics and RRMC, there are incredible opportunities for surgeons and other physicians to enjoy Vermont life!
  • Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region provide primary and emergency care throughout Rutland County, and employ nearly 300 professionals in offices and health centers across the region.
  • Casella Waste Systems, one of the largest recycling and waste solution companies in the East, routinely hires everyone from truck drivers and customer care reps to IT and accounting professionals and marketing experts.
  • Omya, is an international calcium carbonate manufacturer employing engineers and a host of other professionals in Rutland County.

Rutland County also has countless opportunities in construction, from heavy equipment operators to electricians, plumbers, carpenters, engineers, and laborers.

At any given time, RRMC has well over 100 open positions, GMP, Casella, breweries and other manufacturers are looking for help, and GE is searching for skilled manufacturing workers and trainable apprentices.  GE is looking to hire more than 200 people at its Rutland plants in the near future!

Finding the right position means matching your skillset with local needs, of course, but if recent history is any indication, the Rutland Red Carpet Concierge Program can help.  The program matches prospective new residents with a local guide – a concierge who will help you build a social and business network.  In some cases, we’ve helped people land jobs before they even moved here!

For job searches, check out any of the businesses listed here, or visit the CEDRR Careers Hub.  To sign up for the Rutland Red Carpet Program, click here.

Posted in Blog