Hire Our Heroes Job Fair at Binghamton Armory on Wednesday

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Veterans participating in a job search and resume writing workshop at the Rochester Hire our Heroes event on April 17.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (05/07/2013)(readMedia)-- The New York National Guard will host the local installment of a national effort to match veterans, military family members and , National Guard and Reserve forces members with employers at New York State Armory here today.

WHO: Thirty Employers willing to hire military members, reservists, and military spouses and veterans, military reservists, National Guard members, and militry family members seeking jobs, along with officials of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the New York State Department of Labor.

WHAT: U.S. Chamber of Commerce "Hire our Heroes" Job Far. The Binghamton event is one of hundreds being held across the country co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other entities. Similar events in New York have already been held in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.The fair is designed to allow National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, military Reserve members, Active Duty service members, veterans and military spouses to submit applications to prospective employers and also learn how to use job-hunting tools.

WHEN: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday May 8, 2013.

WHERE: New York State Armory at 85 West End Avenue. The event begins at 1 p.m. and runs until 4 p.m.

For access to this securre military facility members of the press should call MAJ Erik Stevens at 607 729-8191 ext 3118.

BACKGROUND:

The New York National Guard will host the local edition of the United States Chamber of Commerce's Hire Our Heroes Job Fair at the The Binghamton event is one of hundreds being held across the country co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other entities. Similar events in New York have already been held in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

The event on May 8 is co-sponsored by the New York National Guard, NYS Department of Labor, the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), the U. S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and The American Legion.

According to U.S. Census figures more than 16,000 veterans live in Broome County. New York is home to almost a million veterans of all ages.

The unemployment rate for veterans was about seven percent overall at the end of 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but the rate for veterans who have served in the active military since September 11, 2001, stood at 13.2 percent. The unemployment rate for veterans who served in the National Guard and Reserve was 7.2 percent, according to the bureau.

"The New York National Guard is partnering with the US Chamber of Commerce in hosting these job fairs because we want to ensure that our Citizen Soldiers, both present and past, have an opportunity to have jobs," said Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York. "This makes our Soldiers, Airmen and all our veterans productive citizens."

"Our Guard Soldiers and Airmen, reserve military members, and active duty veterans are valuable employees for any business," Murphy said. "They are educated, disciplined, and dedicated. The skills and work habits they have acquired serving our country add value to the civilian workplace as well."

The Hiring Our Heroes employment workshop consists of a classroom session beginning one hour prior to the hiring fair followed by human resources professionals conducting one-on-one mentoring sessions with all pre-registered participants. Mentoring sessions focus on resume building; resume writing, and interviewing techniques for all job-seeking veteran and service member participants.

During the event in New York City, 108 employers conducted 710 interviews with job seekers and made offers to 90 of those veterans at the event.

So far the Hire our Heroes effort has resulted in more than 100,000 veterans, Guard members, Reservists and military spouses finding jobs, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the campaign is to find jobs for 500,000 veterans, Guard Soldiers and Airmen, reservists and military spouses.

To help Citizen Soldiers and Airmen hook up with employers who want to hire military veterans, the New York National Guard has created the New York National Guard Job Zone program. Retired military members help Guard Soldiers and Airmen understand how they military skills apply in the civilian workplace and also help employers understand what military veterans bring to the marketplace.

The Job Zone webpage alerts Guard members to potential jobs and also provides links to websites they can use to help them explain their military acquired skills and experience to civilian employers.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Retired Army Command Sergeants Major John Willsey and Robert Van Pelt are available to speak with reporters about the Hire our Heroes Job Fair effort as well as the New York National Guard's work to get Guardsmen hired. Contact the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office to speak with one of these experts prior to the event on May 8.

Useful web links:

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf

http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes/binghamton-ny

http://dmna.ny.gov/jobs/?id=nyng

http://media.iava.org/reports/nyveterans_report.pdf

http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR920.html

https://www.resumeengine.org/

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/fixing-the-failed-elevator-pitch-translating-military-skills-for-civilian-employers/