DuPage employers aim to put veterans to work
The job market hasn’t been great for many, but some say it’s been especially unkind to military veterans. The U.S., state and Naperville Area chambers of commerce have teamed up to change that.
The three chambers have joined with several area veterans agencies to sponsor “Hiring our Heroes Naperville.” The free hiring fair for veterans is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at Tellabs, 1415 West Diehl Road in Naperville. Eighty-six area employers, with job openings, will be on hand to meet potential candidates.Employers ranging from Lisle#146;s Armour-Eckrich Meats to the Illinois State Police and from Navistar to West Suburban Bank are offering jobs in the fields of engineering, transportation and accounting.Mike Macko, a recruiter for Navistar#146;s defense division, said there is no better job candidate for a company that provides tactical military vehicles than the men and women who interact with them on the front lines.#147;We target veterans because of the extensive amount of training they get,#148; Macko said. #147;Whether it#146;s in the parts department or engineering or even corporate, we know there are veterans with those skills in our region.#148;John Puscheck, owner of Naperville#146;s Prager Moving and Storage, said he thinks it#146;s important to #147;help those who fight to allow us to have the freedoms like owning a business.#148; He has jobs available for both truck drivers and warehouse employees and thinks there are veterans with the skills needed for those jobs.#147;I need people who know the importance of punctuality, can make quick decisions, and are responsible, especially when handling valuable cargo,#148; he said. #147;You can be sure people coming from a military background have those skill sets.#148;Retired Marine Lt. Col. Kevin Schmiegel is vice president of veterans employment programs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is leading the national initiative to hire veterans. His goal is to have 100 of these hiring fairs in cities across America from March 2011 to March 2012. Naperville#146;s event will be the 40th. The previous 39, he said, have connected 3,600 veterans with 1,800 employers. Of them, 2,600 have been placed in full-time jobs. Nationwide, he said 1 million of the 12 million veterans in the civilian workforce are unemployed.#147;I want to point out this is not about charity for a veteran. This movement is about connecting very talented individuals with jobs in the private sector,#148; Schmiegel said. #147;I served in the Marines for 20 years so I know firsthand that our veterans have unique leadership skills, advanced technology skills and are great team players that are up to any challenge, whether it be in warehouse, behind the wheel or in the boardroom.#148;Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce CEO John Schmitt called the effort #147;a debt we owe to veterans for their service#148; and encouraged all veterans looking for work to register for the event at the chamber#146;s website.#147;We#146;re proud to be able to put on an event like this that could very easily be a first step to employment in a second career for these men and women,#148; he said.
If you go
What: A free hiring and job fair to help military veterans and their spouses find local employment.
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27
Where: Tellabs, 1415 West Diehl Road in Naperville
Cost: Free
Register: <a href="https://hoh.greatjob.net/sc/viewEvent.action?id=5419">Hoh.greatjob.net</a>