WACO — During the past eight weeks, some 2.3 million Texans have filed for unemployment.
Think of industries hit hard during the past eight weeks and restaurants, bars, barber shops and retail stores come to mind. Turns out, there are others, too.
"Others have been struggling. Contract works, a lot of times, they're ones that get cut right away," said Franklin Ortega.
Ortega is a 31-year-old web app engineer who was born and raised in Texas. He's still got some project work right now, but also spends a lot of time shifting through a brand new app called KNACK that targets engineers.
"You can switch on a remote filter. If this coronavrius pandemic continues for a year or two, you can avoid getting the virus and bringing it home or spreading it to you friends," said Ortega.
The job-finder is being pushed and developed by a team based in Dallas. It launched only a month ago, and has already enlisted more than a thousand users.
"When they're in our platform, we're recommending jobs that are very tailored to the skill set. Essentially, they don't have to use a multitude of job boards," said Mitch Corsini, one of the co-founders.
Corsisni says going "live" during a pandemic was never the original plan, but they've seen a need, especially in the tech service area where thousands are now jobless.
"Let's say Airbnb, or Lyft or Uber, some of these tech companies that are in the service industry are seeing massive layoffs," he said.
Corsini says engineers from all of those companies are ideal candidates for Knack.
Here in Central Texas, the ever-ambitious Space X could be a logical match for some candidates.
Engineers from across the state, and the country, are realizing the app could be a great asset during an uncertain time when working remotely has suddenly become the "norm."
"It's a safety net so you don't have to worry about going out and contracting the virus," said Ortega.
Eventually, the app will also be a tool and datacase for potential employers or job hunters to find engineering talent.
