HAMMOND | Hundreds of people filled the Purdue University Calumet Fitness Center in search of a job Friday afternoon as they participated in an annual Manufacturing Industry Job Fair.

Thirty-five companies in the manufacturing field were represented and ranged from heavy weights like ArcelorMittal, BP and U.S. Steel to much smaller firms looking to fill a handful of positions.

With the current state of the economy and hot of the news that 80,000 Americans lost their jobs in March, director of PUC's Department of Career Services, Shelly L. Robinson expected this year's fair to be most attended ever.

"In the past, we have had 400 to 600 or so, but this year we are anticipating really growing because of all of the companies that are downsizing now," Robinson said.

One of those coming to the fair with an armful of resumes was East Chicago's Jo Etta Candelaria. The unemployed single mother of two was hoping to find some kind of assembly or labor job close to home.

"I don't have a car right now. My car has had troubles and it is hard when you don't have a car and all of the jobs are far away. So, I'm trying to find something in the area," she said.

Mother and son Matt and Lisa Spicker of Dyer also were on the job hunt. Lisa is an unemployed recent graduate of Calumet College with a degree in organizational management. Matt is a 2007 graduate of Lake Central High School looking to trade his part-time job for a full-time career.

Lisa is in the midst of a career change, having worked 15 years in hospital administration. She has found that the current economic situation is not making that transition easy.

"The economy is tough now," she said. "It is also tough trying to change careers, because everyone wants to keep you in the same field."