With Honolulu's Rail Transit Project cleared for construction, job-seekers lined up today hoping to score one of the thousands of rail-related jobs.
Once word got out Honolulu's Rail Transit Project is one step closer to becoming a reality many jumped at the chance to find out about job opportunities.
"I just was kind of interested in seeing what different positions they had," says Rodney Kahao, Nanakuli resident.
"I think the closer we get to the project starting the more interest we've been getting," says Scott Ishikawa, Honolulu Rail Transit Project.
Hundreds set out to find a job at the 2011 job quest job and career fair at the Blaisdell Exhibition hall.
"Well Hawaii stuck in the middle of the Pacific on a rock is very tough," says Paul Barbidillo, Kalihi Valley resident.
The state's unemployment rate shows more than 40,000 people are out of a job and some say rail transit could offer some relief.
"Once the project is fully up and running we estimate about 10,000 jobs per year that includes direct jobs construction related jobs and indirect jobs," says Ishikawa.
Groundbreaking is expected some time this spring with construction starting in Kapolei.
The city is looking to fill more than a hundred administrative jobs.
"We have different fields like engineering, financial side and contract management even some clerical," says Ishikawa.
One of the companies hoping to land the contract to design, build and operate the rail system says they are also hiring.
"And these are new permanent jobs somewhere in between that will spike and peak with the trades as they are building and designing," says Gino Antoniello, Sumitomo Corporation of America.
If Sumitomo secures the $250 million contract from the city they will likely hire several hundred people.
"A little something for everybody and I think in the end I think it could be huge," says Antoniello.
