The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host Hiring Our Heroes Parkersburg, WV, a hiring fair for the region's veterans and their spouses. In March 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes, a nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment. Working with a network of 1,600 state and local chambers and other strategic partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors, the U.S. Chamber's goal was to create a movement across America in hundreds of local communities where veterans and military families return every day. In the first 12 months, Hiring Our Heroes hosted 100 hiring fairs in 45 states and the District of Columbia, connecting more than 100,000 veterans and military spouses with 5,000 different employers. More than 9,000 have gotten jobs. The U.S. Chamber will significantly expand its efforts in 2012 with hiring fairs in 400 communities, the establishment of a stand-alone program for military spouses and a sustained campaign to enlist the commitments of hundreds of thousands of small businesses to hire veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014.
I am proud to announce the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has selected the Mid-Ohio Valley for a Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair to be held on May 22.
Preregistration is required for employers interested in participating. Registration for employers is on a first-come, first-served basis and is open at www.hoh.greatjob.net Select the May 22 Parkersburg event and the employer option to register. Registration will close on May 14.
Potential Job seekers are encouraged to preregister for this event at www.hoh.greatjob.net by May 14, however, walk-in veterans, current military and eligible spouses will be accepted at the event on May 22.
This event is one of the largest fairs to date, bringing West Virginia and Ohio employers together with hundreds of local veterans. These companies will range from America's biggest employers to dozens of small companies from across the region. These companies are looking for veterans of all levels of rank and experience.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes job fair is sponsored by Hero2Hired and co-sponsored locally by the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley, the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve, the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Services (DOL VETS), Workforce WV, Ohio Office of Workforce Development, WVU-P, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Mid-Ohio Valley Workforce Investment Board and the United States Army Reserve.
Upcoming Chamber events and activities open to all Chamber members:
Please go on-line at www.movchamber.org to register today to attend these events.
Visit this space every other Sunday for more Chamber news. We also invite you to call us at 304-422-3588, email us at info@movchamber.org, or stop by the Chamber office at 409 1/2 Market St. in Parkersburg.
Jill Parsons is president/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
