JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – Staff Sergeant Danika Nolan’s military exit date is a few weeks away, and she’s getting ready for the shift at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 task seekers, she attended a working with fair Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State profession opportunities at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to take benefit of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center needs to provide, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the job fair on state employment, rather than employment in different markets, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and [empty] the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state agencies, who shared their experiences and answered questions. Following the panel, employers from state were available to answer hiring concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy shift services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations including VERG, WorkSource and Washington State’s Department of Veterans Affairs and VA Apprenticeship Program; Department of Children, Youth and Families; Department of Social and Health Services, Community Services Division; and Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

A quarterly occasion, the job fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to find out what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back door,” stated Christopher Gentz, transition services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional job fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and https://studentvolunteers.us/employer/washcareer Sept. 11.

To prepare for them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, jobs.constructionproject360.com Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick intro of yourself, who you are and what you’re wanting to do,” Handoe stated, pointing out that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s goals was to assist people learn more about profession chances and how their skills line up with them, Gentz stated.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a task fair, https://horizonsmaroc.com as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not prepared to make that jump yet,” or they have seen the readily available opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz said.

“We see that generally every year,” he stated. “We desire them to make an educated choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is discovering financial resources, including credit reports, budgets and “building a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe said.

“Everybody’s going to get out of the Army one day,” he stated, “but while you remain in, are you doing whatever you can to prepare to get out?”

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are looking for – including accreditations, accreditations and education – and finding out about their working with practices, Handoe stated.

“You need to be doing prep work now for what it is you wish to do in the future down the roadway,” he said.

That preparation work includes preparing for task fairs.

“You need to enter into a working with reasonable with a plan of what you’re going to do and not simply meander around,” Handoe said.

He explained that participants ought to pinpoint the business they want to speak with and research study them ahead of time, to permit educated conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 job fair and spoke with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, Small Amount Loan she has found she wishes to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.