NASA Ames Job Fair Helps Wounded Warriors Find High-Tech Work
MOUNTAIN VIEW (KCBS) – Hundreds of veterans turned out at a major job fair in Silicon Valley on Thursday, where many high-tech employers were looking to hire former military members.
The 5th annual Project HIRED Wounded Warrior Workforce Veterans Career Fair was held at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, bringing together veterans with some of the most well-known employers in Silicon Valley.
Job Fair At NASA Ames In Mountain View Helps Veterans Looking For High-Tech Work
"Bank of America, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Facebook, LinkedIn, we've got colleges with us that are providing resource booths," said Sharon Winston, Executive Director of Project HIRED, the event's organizer.
Brendan Miller, a former Army Reservist, who served in Iraq and Bosnia, was looking for a career in high-tech mapping, and said he hoped his status as a veteran would help.
"It gave me training, it gave me punctuality, it gave me a lot of things that employers should look for," he said. "But it's hard to say. They're not really knocking down my door, I've got to knock on theirs. That's why I'm here."
Miller said his dream job would be working at Google.
This is the first year the job fair was also open to spouses of veterans, who Winston said have also served the country.
"We've invited them this year. You'll see kids here, you'll see spouses here, you'll see partners here," she said. "We're very proud of that enhancement to this job fair."
The job fair also offered veterans direct access to hiring employers, along with other important resources.
Workshops were also held on site to teach them about transitioning to the civilian workplace, available benefits and resources, and other tips and tools to help in their job search.
