Nearly 300 People Attend Hiring Our Heroes Career Fair
With veteran unemployment rates typically 50 to 75 percent higher than the civilian unemployment rate, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes in March 2011, a nationwide effort to help veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment. The goal is to have 100 local veterans career fairs, led by local chambers of commerce, within the first twelve months. Commerce Lexington was honored to be able to bring this opportunity to veterans in central Kentucky.
Commerce Lexington Inc.'s Business & Education Network partnered with the Kentucky Office of Employment & Training and the Central Kentucky Career Centers to bring this opportunity to area companies and Kentucky veterans on October 25th at the Lexington Convention Center. Key supporting partners included the Kentucky Dept. of Veterans Affairs & Veterans Trust Fund, Kentucky Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (KYESGR), USDOL Veterans Employment &Training, local veterans service organizations, and the Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com.
Nearly 300 people attended the Hiring Our Heroes Veterans Career Fair of whom 75 percent identified themselves as veterans, the target audience for the career fair. By all accounts the 150+ exhibitors indicated they were impressed with the number of qualified individuals who attended. The true success will be the number of job offers and acceptances the jobseekers receive. Ongoing follow-up with companies and individuals will be conducted over the next several months.
Job Fair Participating Companies/Organizations Included:
ACS, A Xerox Company
Aerotek Aviation
Amazon.com
Amcor Rigid Plastics
BB&T
Bellevue University
Bestway Express LLC
Bluegrass Community & Technical College
Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board
Burger King
Central Baptist Hospital, Member Baptist Healthcare System
Chiro One Wellness Centers
Columbia Gas of Kentucky
CSL Plasma
Dealers' Financial Services, LLC
DMD Data Systems Inc.
Eastern Kentucky University
Fayette Heating and Air
FedEx Ground
Florida Tile, Inc.
Galmont Consulting
Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.
Indiana Wesleyan University
Insight Communications
Kelly Services
Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance
Kentucky Blue Blood Financial Group
Kentucky Dept. of Corrections
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
Kentucky Personnel Cabinet
Kimbrough & Associates, LLC
Kindred Healthcare
KY Approving Agency for Veterans Education
KY Career Center/ Office of Employment & Training
Lexington Transit Authority
Lexmark International, Inc.
Link-Belt Construction Equipment Co.
Manpower of Central Kentucky
Midway College Online
National College
New Horizons Computer Learning Center
NTSG, Inc.
Office of Surface Mining & Reclamation
R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC/Central Kentucky Line
RR Donnelley
Saint Joseph Health System
Staff Management/SMX
Starbucks Coffee Company
Strayer University
Sullivan University/Spencerian College
Tempur-Pedic International, Inc.
Truck America Training, LLC.
U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons/Federal Medical Center
University of Kentucky
Other Exhibitors on Hand Included:
Commerce Lexington/Information
Kentucky Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com
Cumulus Broadcasting
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
AB Dick/Kopy Kat
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Navy
Service Organizations:
Association of the U.S. Army-Bluegrass Chapter
Community Action Council/Veterans Services
Int'l "We Serve" Foundation, Inc.
Kentucky Small Business Development Center's Veterans Assistance Program
New Opportunity School for Women
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (US DOL)
Thomas Hood Veterans Home
United Way of the Bluegrass
Volunteers of America