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Public flocks to joint base job fair

  • Published
  • By Steve Snyder
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --  
More than 2,000 job seekers participated in Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst's community job fair Dec. 8 at the McGuire Community Center.

The fair was sponsored by the 87th Force Support Squadron and lasted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants had the chance to meet and offer resumes to 21 defense and non-profit contractors along with representatives from 27 federal and state agencies.

"The job fair was initially scheduled for Feb. 20, but in the light of increasing numbers of people without jobs, we felt we should hold it earlier," said Joseph Lee, employment readiness program manager for Army Community Service on the Dix.

Lee spearheaded efforts to bring job seekers in touch with major employers.

"We tried to attract employers who had solid foundations in defense and related contracts along with other major state and federal agencies," Mr. Lee confided.

The Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Computer Science Corporation, Chenega Technology Services, Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital, Lockheed Martin, Defense Contract Audit Agency and the Department of Homeland Security were just a few employers soliciting potential employees at the fair.

Lee said his rough count of job seekers reached 2,158 but there had to be many more since registrars were, at times, overwhelmed. According to his count, 177 military members, 140 military family members, 69 retired military, 180 military veterans, 530 DoD civilians, and 99 contractors attended the job confab.

Weighing her employment options, Staff Sgt. Jennye Jenkins from the 514 Force Support Squadron, was one of them.

"We had a highly diverse, very informative and pretty interesting collection of employers here," according to the sergeant, who said she was looking for a position in the field of labor operations.

Joseph Stanick, too, said he was happy with the employers he talked with.

The engineer of 20 years standing, said the "job fair looked like a good deal to me. "I've gotten one (offer) from Houston and it looks like I might have to move to get work, but that's all right with me," Mr. Stanick said.

Some attending the fair did so with friends, adding a lighter note to the proceedings. Bank teller, Terri Wesley, accompanied her son to the fair, hovering to advise and encourage him.

"I'm trying to look out for my son," she said. "I think the turn-out's wonderful."

But while many people attended, the numbers did not necessarily rebound to everyone's benefit.

"A couple of employers thought I was too old," groused construction worker Peter Birchler. But he had no complaints about corralling enough employers to talk to.

Fort Monmouth is currently downsizing and there was no shortage of personnel from there who came here to investigate job opportunities. Annie Abruscati drove down from Monmouth to talk with an Air Force Reserve recruiter, among others. That recruiter, Tech. Sgt. Chris Bellofitto, admitted to doing "pretty good business."

Mr. Lee credited the Joint Base employment readiness team with helping make the job affair a success. He specifically credited Raquel Cajudo, Valerie Fioretts and E.J. Garland for their efforts.

Security forces insured the influx of visitors to JB MDL found adequate parking while members of the 87 Logistics Readiness Squadron piloted buses to and from the event.