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 transition at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

As part of a group of about 30 job applicants, she went to an employing reasonable Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I just attempt to take advantage of all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to offer, simply to ensure I’m as prepared as possible,” she stated.

The focus of the task fair on state work, instead of work in different industries, made it various than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it started with a panel of veterans from state companies, who shared their experiences and responded to concerns. Following the panel, employers from state agencies were offered to address working with concerns, said Frank Handoe, deputy transition services manager for the TAP.

Informational tables represented organizations consisting of 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 task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure chance to discover out what type of chances exist here outdoors your back door,” said Christopher Gentz, transition services supervisor for the Directorate of Human Resources.

Additional task fairs like the Jan. 30 occasion will be held May 8, July 10 and Sept. 11.

To get ready for referall.us them, “gown for success,” bring your resume and practice your elevator pitch, Gentz stated.

An elevator pitch is a “quick introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re seeking to do,” Handoe said, mentioning that the ability is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the task fair’s objectives was to help people discover career opportunities and how their skills align with them, Gentz stated.

Education is an essential advantage of participating in a task reasonable, as about 40% of those who begin with the TAP learn they’re “not prepared to make that dive yet,” or they have seen the offered opportunities and choose to continue serving, Gentz stated.

“We see that basically every year,” he said. “We desire them to make an informed choice about their profession.”

Part of the education piece is learning more about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to work with when it’s time to get out,” Handoe stated.

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

Job fairs also exist to help individuals with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are searching for of accreditations, accreditations and education – and learning more about their hiring practices, Handoe stated.

“You must be doing prep work now for what it is you desire to do later down the road,” he said.

That prep work includes preparing for task fairs.

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

He described that attendees must determine the business they want to talk with and research study them ahead of time, to permit informed conversations with recruiters.

Nolan enjoyed the Jan. 30 task reasonable and talked with some employers. A senior infotech specialist with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she desires to serve those who serve in her upcoming civilian role.