Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center hosts a job fair Today, June 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for veterans, transitioning military and spouses. Over thirty employers representing in-demand career opportunities will attend at 530 Communication Circle, Colorado Springs.

To prepare job seekers, the Mt. Carmel team has worked individually with veterans, transitioning sevice members and spouses at Mt. Carmel and on the local military installations. Resume reviews, LinkedIn account updates and mock interviews have been conducted. Earlier this week, regional employers supported the veteran community at a Mt. Carmel mock interview event allowing immediate feedback for the job seeker. Follow-on interview offers for actual job opportunities resulted for the most eligible candidates. With local unemployment at 3.2 percent, regional employers struggle to find highly skilled talent. 

Today's job fair includes employers representing cybersecurity, construction, healthcare, hospitality, local school districts, advanced manufacturing and more. The complete list includes: Abraxas, Aflac, Air Methods, Arrow Veterans, Blackstone Technology Group, Boecore, CenturyLink, Cleared Jobs, CO Dept. of Corrections, CSU Pueblo, ConcealFab, Elwood Staffing, First Command, Goodwill, Hiring our Heroes, ITEC, JP Morgan & Chase Co, LeaderQuest, Lewis Connections, Loomis, Pikes Peak Community College, Progressive, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP), Raytheon, Robert Half, School District 8, School District 49, SecureSet, Spectrum Healthcare resources, Springs Fabrication, Troops to Teachers, Walgreens, Werner Enterprises, and Xcel Energy.          

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: News media are welcome at the event. Please RSVP to: djmiller@mtcarmelcenter.org or call Dean Miller, Cell (719) 232-2260, Office (719) 309-4722.

Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center hosts a job fair Thursday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for veterans, transitioning military and spouses. Over thirty employers representing in-demand industries will attend at 530 Communication Circle, Colorado Springs.

To prepare veterans and military community job seekers ahead of Thursday’s job fair, Mt. Carmel held practice interviews with regional employers and veterans today. Employers representing cybersecurity, construction, hospitality and others provided timely feedback.

“Our market is tight for highly-skilled, qualified candidates,” said Amanda Stahnke, Add Staff staffing manager. Stahnke recruits for multiple employers requiring accounting, reception, support and more. “Employers used to take weeks to consider a candidate for interview, and longer to make an offer. Today, offers are made within days of a successful interview or the best candidates go elsewhere.”

With local unemployment at 3.2 percent, the shortage of highly skilled talent has forced employers to improve starting pay and benefits. Many employers now offer medical benefits to stay competitive in recruiting, said Stahnke.  

A common theme from participating employers was the importance of ‘giving back’ to the veteran community through support of the interview effort and Thursday’s job fair.  

“I spent a career mentoring soldiers,” said Carlton Maynard, an Army veteran now employed as Engineer Project Leader with Johnson & Johnson, a Monument-based medical device manufacturer. “It’s important to mentor others as they transition. It’s important to me, my employer, and our community that veterans, and their families, are successful.”

Employers in Thursday’s job fair include: Abraxas, Aflac, Air Methods, Arrow Veterans, Blackstone Technology Group, Boecore, CenturyLink, Cleared Jobs, CO Dept. of Corrections, CSU Pueblo, ConcealFab, Elwood Staffing, First Command, Goodwill, Hiring our Heroes, ITEC, JP Morgan & Chase Co, LeaderQuest, Lewis Connections, Loomis, Pikes Peak Community College, Progressive, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP), Raytheon, Robert Half, School District 8, School District 49, SecureSet, Spectrum Healthcare resources, Springs Fabrication, Troops to Teachers, Walgreens, Werner Enterprises, and Xcel Energy.          

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

PracticeONE: Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center Employment and Transition Director Daniel Martinez welcomes employers and job seekers to a job interview practice event. The effort is in preparation for a Job Fair on Thursday, June 21, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring over 30 employers.

PracticeTWO: Employers and job seekers including veterans, transitioning military and their spouses, meet with local employers for practice interviews at Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center. The effort is in preparation for a Job Fair on Thursday, June 21, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring over 30 employers.

PracticeTHREE: Robert Stein of Batelle provides job interview feedback to Navy Reservist Shaniqua Dupree.   

PracticeFOUR: Sarah Lawrence of Cleared Careers conducts a practice job interview for U.S. Army and Marine Veteran Brian Kellogg.