Career summit takes place Sept. 5

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A day-long career-planning event is slated to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at the DB 400 at Travis Air Force Base.

The Hiring Our Heroes career summit is a one-day hiring event to help service members, veterans and military spouses access resources and information to empower them in their job searches.

“Career summits are more than your everyday job fair,” said Michele Vogel, Hiring Our Heroes career summits senior manager with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “They provide interactive workshops, industry overviews, Linkedin profile coaching, resume review and other sessions allowing participants to prepare before they engage with employers during the career fair.”

Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide, grassroots effort to help veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find employment opportunities. For staff members at Travis’ Airman and Family Readiness Center, the summit is a distillation of their role.

“The program itself is kind of what we do here week by week, but it’s in a one-day snapshot,” said Robert Nesbitt, who works with the A&FRC’s transition program for the 60th Force Support Squadron.

The summit’s four-hour morning session will feature a mixture of workshops and lessons to give members of the base community a bevy of information, such as how to network, set up a LinkedIn profile or be presentable when meeting employers.

The final two hours of the event will feature more than 100 employers and service agencies for participants to meet with, which could lead to a potential hire. The participating employers range from some of the nation’s largest companies to smaller, regional ones.

Vogel encourages attendees to come prepared and recommends they bring a notebook to take notes, a list of questions they have about transitioning or career planning, and numerous copies of their resume or business card to hand to employers.

“They want to seize this opportunity to network ... and ask questions of employers and presenters who have been in their shoes and successfully moved into a career after their military service, or in our spouses’ case, while they are still serving,” Vogel said.

Vogel said the goal of the summit is to help members of the Travis community communicate their skills and realize their potential.

“During the career summit, we want service members, veterans and military spouses to understand their value to a civilian employer and learn how to translate their value proposition into their resume and throughout their conversations with potential employers,” Vogel said.

Maria McIntosh, A&FRC employment manager, said the summit is open to anyone with base access, not just service members.

“If they have family or friends or somebody that they know is looking for a job, this is a great time,” she said.

To register for the event, visit https://bit.ly/33ZMLFE.