Veterans Federal Career Opportunities Seminar

VETERANS FEDERAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES ORIENTATION PROGRAM

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Homeland Security Management Institute, (HSMI) is partnering with Monroe Community College, (MCC) the Rochester Veterans Outreach Center and Wegmans Food Company to provide a special 1 day seminar for 200 veterans. The focus of this free workshop is to present critical information to area veterans, which will assist them transitioning from the military to federal civilian job opportunities and career paths. Critical information on federal internships for dependents and federal job opportunities for spouses’ will also be provided. Wegmans will also provide HR reps to discuss full/part time job opportunities with their company. Please be advised this training opportunity is only open to the first 200 sign-ups.

When: Friday, January 20, 2012 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Registration begins at 8:30 AM)

Where: Monroe Community, Brighton NY Campus, 1000 East Henrietta Rd., Rochester, NY at the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center, Monroe function rooms A & B.

BACKGROUND

Consistent national unemployment levels of 8.6% or more and 8% in NYS over the past 2 years have resulted in keen competition for veterans who are preparing to enter the workforce after graduation. The Homeland Security Management Institute, which is an initiative of the Monroe Community College, has created a unique training opportunity for veterans in the Upstate NY area. HSMI offers one of the few federal employment options training opportunities in the country that provides critical information of value to any veteran to include:

1. How to find and apply for paid/unpaid federal internships and co-ops while exploring career paths leading to meaningful federal employment, which offers job security and a guaranteed retirement annuity.

2. How to analyze and market the veteran’s individual knowledge, skills and abilities prior to selecting a specific career path action plan.

3. Introduction to the www.usajobs.gov federal jobs clearing house. This data base has over 30,000 employment opportunities available on any given day.

4. How to pursue federal paid/unpaid internships and co-op programs available to student vets and dependents of vets. Tips on navigating the usajobs.gov web site and how to use the on-line application process.

5. Critical information and shortcut strategies on enhancing the vet’s pre-employment skills to succeed in the current job market, including both the public and private sector.

While our state and local employment forecast appears bleak, our federal government is hiring! Most students and their parents are unaware that the federal civilian workforce employs over 2 million workers, excluding active duty military and the US Postal Service. Federal internships are plentiful; however, most students are not aware that they exist or how to apply for them. The workshop has been developed and is presented by HSMI Program Coordinator, Stephen J. Petro. Steve is a certified Federal Career Coach & Job Search Trainer. He is a retired federal recruiter with over 35 years of federal work experience. During the last 10 years he has served as an active federal career coach for SUNY Brockport and Roberts Wesleyan Criminal Justice students.

The workshop will also include presentations by the following distinguished experts in the field of veteran’s resources and services:

· Michael Bates, MCC Veterans Services Coordinator for the Counseling and Advising Center

· Eric Wheeler, Coordinator for the MCC Academy for Veterans’ Success

· Robert Mitchell, Education Resource Specialist, Rochester Veterans Outreach Center.

· Kevin Melia, Veterans Employment Representative for the New York State Dept. of Labor.

These presentations will include information on a wide range of veteran’s services, benefits and follow-up support programs available to attending vets.

The Wegmans Food Company will donate food and beverage offering a continental breakfast and lunch to all 200 attendees. Management reps from the Wegmans Human Resources and Asset Protection Depts. will make a presentation on Wegmans job opportunities available to veterans.

In summary, there is a need to provide veterans with critical information to enhance their pre-employment skills in order to compete in a competitive job market. HSMI-MCC and our co-sponsors are offering to coordinate a program to assist student vets and graduates by providing a comprehensive workshop session. This seminar will allow attendees to develop additional strategies in securing meaningful employment before and/or after graduation.

Below is a flyer and registration form for distribution. Please Note: Attendance is limited to the first 200 veterans who register for this seminar.