How do you fit, “Put my life on the line to protect my nation’s freedom” on a job application? A group of MBA students from the College of Business Administration hope to not only help area veterans learn the answer to this question but connect them to employers who value this experience. The Central Florida Veterans Job Fair, a service project organized by graduate students in UCF’s MBA and Interpersonal Communication programs, will take place on Friday, February 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Venue on the campus of UCF (former Arena).
Over 40 employers have registered to attend this inaugural event that will also raise donations for the Wounded Warrior Project. In a unique twist, participating employers made a donation to the charity that provides support to veterans who have suffered physical and mental injuries as a result of their service. To date the students’ efforts have resulted in $15,000 in expected donations. More fundraising will take place the day of the event.
OrlandoJobs.com worked with the students, lending their job fair experience and relationships with local employers. “People leaving the military after four or more years of service may not realize how much job searches have changed. We want to help them understand the processes private employers use,” says Roger Lear, President and Co-founder of OrlandoJobs.com. To help, Lear will facilitate an employment workshop on using social media scheduled to take place during the job fair. Other workshops include resume and interview strategies by Andrew Pearl of Precision Resumes and an employment transition panel made up of experts who are also veterans. Workshops are free for job fair attendees.
Participating employers include event partners Hilton Grand Vacations, Signature Flight Support, Verizon Wireless, Express Scripts, Lincoln Technical Institute, and Aarons, Inc. Recruiters from Orlando’s top employers in tourism and hospitality, finance and banking, healthcare, retail, and service will be available to talk to job seekers. Public employers from government, education, and law enforcement will also be there.
“We’ve worked to bring a variety of employers to this event and appreciate their generous donations to the Wounded Warrior Project,” says Tifany Alexander, MBA student and the event’s Marketing and Promotions Chair. Ryan Weber and Aaron Chao, co-Chairs of Business Development echo her sentiment. “It’s been great how these companies stepped up to support our cause; even my employer is here!” says Chao.
Admission and parking is free for job seekers who are encouraged to come “dressed to impress!” Employers and seekers can register for the event at the Career Connections website.