Monday, April 16, 2012

Gov. Heineman Announces Hire Our Heroes Initiative Is Seeking Nebraskans for Employment Opportunities

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman today announces the state involvement in the Hire Our Heroes Initiative, the cooperative effort between the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska Department of Labor and the Nebraska National Guard. This nationwide initiative helps veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.
“Last year, Hire Our Heroes helped over 9,000 veterans across the country find employment, and this year the United States Chamber of Commerce is bringing it to our state,” said Gov. Dave Heineman. “There are approximately 4,800 Army and Air National Guardsmen and women in Nebraska and thousands more Nebraskans serve in the U.S. Reserves and active military. The enthusiasm surrounding Hiring Our Heroes shows that the courage and sacrifice demonstrated by these men and women has not gone unnoticed.”
Current and former military members bring sought-after skills to the workforce. Nebraska’s veterans and their spouses are invited to the Hiring Our Heroes Fair April 24 at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln. There are 100 employers registered for the fair, representing over 500 job opportunities. More than a dozen sponsors, including military groups and media partners, are working to make the event a success.
“This support demonstrates how Nebraskans continually stand behind our men and women in uniform, both during and after their service,” said Cathy Lang, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and Commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Labor.
“This is about bringing Nebraska’s employers and service members, and their spouses, together in an environment that creates opportunities for both groups,” said Maj. Gen. Judd Lyons, Nebraska Adjutant General. “Nebraska’s service members bring tremendous skill sets and qualities with them. Our Guardsmen and women, for example, have honed skills like leadership, problem-solving, an ability to operate under pressure, time management, and many others. These are abilities that our employers are looking for today.”
“The same can be said for Nebraska’s military spouses, who have been asked to take on many more responsibilities and roles while their loved ones have deployed,” Maj. Gen. Lyons added. “They, too, bring tremendous qualities that are directly transferrable into today’s work force.”
A week prior to the hiring fair, the Nebraska Department of Labor will host a career workshop on Tuesday, April 17, at the National Guard Armory located at 1776 North 10th Street in Lincoln. Like the hiring fair, this event is intended to help current and former servicemen and women translate their military skills into the civilian job market. Sessions will cover resume writing, meeting with employers, professional etiquette and other career topics. Community and service organizations representing a variety of resources will also be present.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of Nebraska servicemen and women have served around the world, including duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, as members of the Nebraska National Guard, the U.S. Reserves and active military. Among these thousands of Nebraska service members are the more than 1,200 Nebraska Army National Guard Soldiers who have returned home to Nebraska from overseas deployments since last May.
More information about these events can be found online at hoh.greatjob.net and dol.nebraska.gov.

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