A Veterans’ Job Fair, a first-time event offered free of charge to all veterans, will be held Friday, June 29 at the Hi-TEC Center Conference Rooms, 1575 N. High St., Hillsboro.
“We’re hoping to have maybe 30 employers from Highland, Clinton and Fayette counties that are veteran friendly and hope it will be a nice event,” said Rhonda Fannin, director of Highland County Ohio Means Jobs.
From 10 a.m. to noon there will be a resume writing seminar and a session on preparing for interviews that Fannin said will be more of an informal time for conversation. Lunch will be served from noon to 1 p.m., and the job fair will take place from 1-3 p.m.
It’s all free for veterans, who will not be required to preregister or show any ID at the event.
“It came about because we had a representative from the local Elks Club that really likes working with Ohio Means Jobs and they just kind of put a bug in our ear that this was something we could host,” Fannin said. “We contacted the local Veterans Service Commission and they were very happy to assist with getting the word out.”
She said her office and the Highland County Veterans Service Commission will be working hard the next few weeks to spread the word about the job fair to local veterans. She said Highland County Ohio Means Jobs will be posting the names of the businesses participating on its website – www.omjhighlandcounty.com – as the businesses respond.
Kevin Barreras, vice president of the Highland County Veterans Service Commission, said that about three years ago Ohio Governor John Kasich approached the director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services because he thought veterans were underrepresented in the state’s work force, and he wanted that to change. Barreras said the state’s Veterans Service offices have been working toward that goal and that the numbers are getting better.
There are about 800,000 veterans in Ohio, Barreras said.
He said that Veterans Services offices work hand-in-hand with Ohio Means Jobs and that he thinks the upcoming job fair will be especially helpful for veterans getting out of the service and coming home, as well as for veterans wanting to improve their resume.
Fannin said she is not sure what kind of turnout to expect since the job fair will be a first-time event, but she said mailings have already been sent out to about 140 area veterans. She said she is not sure if the job fair will turn into an annual event.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t say annual yet because we try to do our own job fairs and this was just an additional one,” Fannin said. “But we’re hoping it goes really well and that people are interested enough that we can make it annual. I just think it’s a great opportunity, and I want to thank all the veterans for their service. This is the least we can do for them.”
For more information call 937-393-1933.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or [email protected].
