JBLM Job Fair Showcases State Employment Opportunities

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

As part of a group of about 30 task candidates, she attended a Jan. 30 that showcased Washington State career chances at JBLM’s Hawk Career Center.

“I simply attempt to benefit from all the resources and services that the (Transition Assistance Program) Center has to use, just to make sure I’m as prepared as possible,” she said.

The focus of the task fair on state employment, instead of employment in numerous industries, made it different than others on the setup. Sponsored by the Veterans Employee Resource Group, WorkSource and the TAP, it began with a panel of veterans from state firms, who shared their experiences and answered concerns. Following the panel, employers from state firms were readily available to answer working with concerns, stated Frank Handoe, deputy shift services supervisor 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 event, the task fair is “a low-stress, low-pressure opportunity to learn what sort of opportunities exist here outside your back entrance,” stated Christopher Gentz, shift services manager for the Directorate of Human Resources.

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

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

An elevator pitch is a “fast introduction of yourself, who you are and what you’re looking to do,” Handoe stated, discussing that the skill is taught as part of the TAP.

Among the job fair’s objectives was to assist individuals learn about career opportunities and how their abilities align with them, Gentz said.

Education is a crucial advantage of attending a job reasonable, as about 40% of those who start with the TAP discover they’re “not ready to make that dive yet,” or they have actually seen the offered opportunities and decide to continue serving, Gentz said.

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

Part of the education piece is discovering about finances, consisting of credit reports, budget plans and “constructing a savings so you have something to deal with when it’s time to go out,” Handoe said.

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

Job fairs likewise exist to assist people with networking, seeing what individuals in the outside world are trying to find – including accreditations, accreditations and schooling – and learning more about their employing practices, Handoe stated.

“You should be doing prep work now for what it is you want to do later on down the road,” he stated.

That prep work includes preparing for job fairs.

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

He explained that guests need to determine the business they wish to talk with and research them ahead of time, to enable informed conversations with employers.

Nolan delighted in the Jan. 30 task reasonable and referall.us talked with some employers. A senior infotech expert with the 16th Combat Aviation Unit, she has actually found she wishes to serve those who serve in her approaching civilian function.