JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of military service members, veterans and their families had the chance to pursue new careers Wednesday at a free job fair at the University of North Florida.
It was sponsored by Naval Station Mayport and was also open to those serving at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia.
More than 90 businesses set up shop at UNF’s Adam W. Herbert University Center looking to make some new hires.
Active-duty service members and veterans along with their spouses and other family members attended the job fair.
Among them was U.S. Navy Master at Arms Johnny Allen, who is looking to transition to a new career, possibly in law enforcement, after seven years in the Navy.
“I do like helping people and protecting people. I feel like I would be good at it in the civilian world,” Allen said.
Allen’s wife, Haley, joined him on the job hunt.
Allen said he is confident his skills in psychology and Human Resources will translate to the work force beyond the military.
“When you are in person, you get to meet people, you get that relationship, people get to know more about you. Sometimes if you don’t do your resume right or it needs work when people talk to you and ask you questions, they will get a better idea,” Allen said.
Navy Veteran Arthur Gore served for 26 years before retiring from the Navy in 2011. He said these kinds of events have helped him along the way.
“I attended numerous job fairs and there were a lot of opportunities at each job fair. Every career field from different walks of life are out there,” Gore said.
There are usually two of these job fairs every year.
Gore said a big part of this is networking.
“Some people attend job fairs without knowing what they want to do or knowing what career path they want to choose. They go to a career job fair and they meet people, and it sometimes gives them an idea of what they would want to do,” Gore said.
Gore now works on base in Mayport with service members and their families, informing them of resources available to them as they transition out of active duty.
“We talk about resume writing, we help them write their resumes, we talk about the labor force, what is out there and what is available and the job market itself,” he said.
Wednesday’s job fair was also open to veterans like Myriah Owen, who served four years in the Marine Corps, and her friend, Leitara Crews, who spent seven years in the Navy. Both are in dental school now, hoping to land part-time jobs.
“It means a lot honestly. It is a great opportunity being here,” Crews said.
“The fact that there are more military members makes me feel a little bit more comfortable because there are a lot of jobs that really are not catered to that,” Owen said.
Networking at the tables could end up leading to an interview in one of the rooms at the fair and maybe even a job offer by the end of the day.
Whether it’s finding a new job, just surveying what’s available or maybe even discovering an industry that was not on their radar, those here believe this job helps with their next steps.