Hundreds Attend Veterans Job Fair

Mayor Cory A. Booker and G.I. Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous announced that The G.I. Go Fund, Rutgers-Newark, and its Rutgers-Newark Student Veterans Organization co-hosted a free free “Year of the Vet” Newark Veterans Job and GI Bill Fair for Veterans and their families today at Rutgers-Newark’s Paul Robeson Campus Center March 13. More than 500 veterans attended the event.

Also in attendance were Acting Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff and Rutgers University Director of Veterans’ Services Stephen Abel, as well as Municipal Council Member-at-Large Carlos M. Gonzalez.
 
Representatives from a wide array of public and private sector employers were present, along with agencies providing outreach support to veterans and their families. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Labor’s Veteran Representatives were on hand to review veterans’ resumes and offer tips on improving them, as well as schedule follow-up appointments at One-Stop Career Centers.
 

“Those people who fought for freedom should not be burdened by the shackles of unemployment. If you are qualified to serve in the military, you are qualified to work in the private sector. Today I am proud to do the right things for those who did the right things for us,” said  Booker.
 
During the event, there was information for veterans and their families on programs and benefits for veterans, including the GI Bill. Educational institutions that accept the GI Bill were also present, including Rutgers University, Bloomfield College, Thomas Edison State College, Montclair State University, Berkeley College, Princeton University and Drew University.


Sponsors and partners for the event were the City of Newark, NewarkWORKS, Rutgers University, Thomas Edison State College, Berkeley College, Felician College, Greater Media NJ, Johnson & Johnson, Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, The Star Ledger, Drew University, NJ Chamber of Commerce, and Newark One Stop Center for Career Development.
 

Representatives from more than 70 businesses and organizations also attended this event, including PSEG, Johnson & Johnson, Prudential, Wakefern, Merck, Wells Fargo, UMDNJ, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the FBI, and the New Jersey State Police.
 
“This event brings the most qualified group of men and women in one room with dozens of potential employers.” said Fanous. “The men and women who have served in the armed forces make great employees. Nowhere else can you find such dedicated and hard-working or disciplined workers.  Our theme for the event is to ‘Go get ‘em.’ To the veterans who are looking for work, ‘Go get ‘em.’ To the employers who are looking to hire qualified workers, ‘Go get ‘em.’ ”
 
Sean Cavanaugh, an Iraqi war veteran who was hired at last year’s job fair by Johnson & Johnson, was present, now representing the company.

“After the bullets stop flying and the din of battle has faded, many veterans decide to complete their honorable service to the United States and enter the civilian workforce as experienced and seasoned professionals, only to encounter a new type of harsh reality – one of high unemployment and difficult transitions,” said Cavanaugh. “Luckily I attended last year’s GI Go Fund’s Veterans Job and GI Bill Fair at Rutgers-Newark, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made after securing a career with a great company, Johnson & Johnson.”
 
The G.I. Go Newark Veterans Transition Center is a non-profit office that provides and coordinates a vast array of services and support to veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as well as to veterans of previous generations. Currently operating from a centralized location in Newark City Hall, the G.I. Go Veterans Transition Center provides veterans with support for VA enrollment, mental wellness, securing employment, education advancement, and financial support, among other things. The center is unique, as it is the first-ever partnership between a municipality and a non-governmental organization (NGO) to support veterans and address their issues in the nation’s history.
 
For more information on other G.I. Go Fund programs, visit them online at www.gigofund.org or call the G.I. Go Veterans Transition Center at (973) 802-1479.