Career expo helps Soldiers transition to civilian jobs

By Tina Ray
Paraglide

May 5, 2011

If the Army had to stand up a résumé for its care of the careers of Soldiers, then the Army Career and Alumni Program would be that résumé in action.

ACAP and CivilianJobs.com joined forces to host a career expo, Monday, at the Fort Bragg Club, with representation from companies such as the U.S. Air Force Reserve Recruiting, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC — Pembroke and others.

More than 40 companies were scheduled to attend the expo, said Vicki Washington, director, job fair operations for CivilianJobs.com. Three hundred and fifty persons who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, retirees, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and their spouses signed up for the career expo.

Military and former military veterans were able to pre-register at CivilianJobs.com, upload a résumé and have their skills matched against the military-friendly companies that attended. Upon signing in at the expo, pre-registered candidates were given a list of employees with whom their skills and geographical preference matched.

Charmaine Cook is an Army veteran who served as a first lieutenant with a background in engineering and finance.

She attended the expo to network and see which jobs are available in this area, she said. Cook moved to North Carolina from Fort Drum, N.Y., in March.

“I’m networking, too, and marketing; seeing what’s available,” said Tanya Johnston, who visited booths alongside Cook.

Johnston, who has worked as a teacher’s assistant, said it was important to attend the expo, given her concerns about cutbacks in this economy.

Last year, North Carolina cut more than 2,700 teacher assistants positions and could potentially slice more this year.

But, for former servicemembers, there is still a measure of job security.

They still have the potential to serve, said Master Sgt. Erica Schultz of the AF Reserves, who manned a booth at the expo.

Veterans who enlisted could restart their retirement or use their educational benefits, said Tech Sgt. Tynnishua Fowler, who joined Schultz at a booth. They could serve as little as one weekend a month and two weeks a year.

“If they didn’t like their job before, they have the chance to cross-train in something different,” she added.

Prior military servicemembers have traits that are valuable to companies, said Joe Johnson, service director with Crown Ford, and a retired Air Force master sergeant.

Companies are interested in veterans because they know that they have integrity, discipline and they are dependable, Johnson said.

Al Ferguson is a civilian contract finance worker. He said he learned about the expo from a co-worker and stopped by to check out his options.

He stopped by the booth set up by employees of UNC.

There, he was advised to create a job applicant’s profile, detailing his work history and résumé.
“It’s a hard-copy and it’s a great way to get in the system,” said Karl Pfister, an UNC human resources consultant.

The ACAP job fair is not the only one in town, said Washington, but it is valuable because it is a networking event that narrows the audience in terms of competition.

“The idea is to keep the transitioning Soldier from having to compete with others in the area,” Washington said.

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