The Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce continued its push to promote jobs, as businesses both large and small announce job openings at Friday's "Ring the Bell."

As far as industrial openings:
- Manpower Staffing has openings for corrugated machine operators and technicians
- Vestar Technologies, a local industry, is seeking CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinist and programmers
- Apollo Staffing has more than 50 open positions in the areas of sheet metal, electrical, brake press operators, construction assemblers, staff accountant, industrial engineer, mixing operator, maintenance technician, CNC machinist, shipping/receiving, janitorial, dietary aides, auto cad operator, forklift drivers and packers
- Wagner Service Solutions had openings for two CNC machinists, an industrial maintenance technician and a janitorial position.

Multiple small businesses also had openings, including:
- Computer Troubleshooters, which needs a customer service representative
- Game Time, which needs two part-time people to run indoor parties, as well as four summer camp counselors, preferably college-aged
- Holiday Inn Express, which needs a front desk representative.

Baxter hiring update
Baxter International currently has 21 local jobs posted online at careers.baxter.com, and spokeswoman Kellie Hotz said the company plans to fill the positions during the next two to three months.

Many of the positions are in the engineering field and will be full-time Baxter employees as opposed to being contracted out. The medical equipment and pharmaceutical manufacturer plans to break ground on its first facility at Stanton Springs industrial park in Newton and Walton counties in the second half of 2012.

"The engineering positions will be part of the project team responsible for building the Covington Site," Hotz said in an email. "We prefer to have Baxter employees in these important roles."

However, the company has already begun hiring "partners for the construction phase."