The Old Army Reserve Building in Great Falls, Montana was filled to capacity with 72 employers and educators willing to showcase their jobs and education opportunities exclusively for Montana Reserve Component members, military spouses, and veterans during the Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Job and Education Fair held in mid-August. 

Montana employers and educators jumped at the chance to support our troops, their families, and veterans by hiring them as employees or enrolling them as students.  Showcasing those actively seeking employees or students, the event was planned and presented by the Montana Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (MT ESGR) in tandem with the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes employment initiative.  Hiring Our Heroes focuses on employing wounded, ill, and injured veterans.  The US Chamber will hold 100 of these events across the nation through March 2012.  This was the first rural event the US Chamber has been involved in and the 16th that they have worked on in the nation.

“The relationship between civilian employers and their guard and reserve or reserve component employees is critical to the retention and recruiting mission of these military members,” commented MT ESGR state chair Mike Flaherty.  “Hiring Montana reserve component members contributes to the success of the Montana National Guard and Reserve. This event presented Montana employers and educators a select pool of employees from across the state.  I would call it a very successful day for vendors and attendees.” 

Over 700 to 750 reserve component members, military spouses, and veterans attended.  Of those attending 280 formally registered and were tracked.  Employers accepted 227 resumes; conducted or plan to interview 70 applicants; 158 applicants will be interviews at a later date and 6 received jobs on the spot. 

One gentleman, a disabled veteran and West Point graduate, had been out of work for 3 months or more.  After attending the fair he was offered three jobs and accepted one.  “It has been a great day”, he commented.

Participants were encouraged to bring a number of resumes and be prepared for possible job interviews.  Free resume critiques were provided by several local Society for Human Resource professionals and vendors attending the event.  Laptops connected to the internet were available for job applications and registering on the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces website designed to connect employers seeking veterans and veterans seeking employers supportive of the military.

MT ESGR worked in conjunction with the Montana Air National Guard and other reserve components, US Department of Labor, US Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training, US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce, US Small Business Administration, and US Office of Personnel Management to enhance the employment process and serve as an effective resource for our reserve component and employers.  The Montana Chamber of Commerce, Great Falls Job Service Workforce Center, Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, and the local chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management all worked together to develop a successful event.

MT ESGR is a Department of Defense agency.  The organization recognizes supportive employers, informs service members and employers about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA), and provides conflict mediation services. The organizations newest goal is to act as a conduit to connect service members and potential employers.  To meet this end, MT ESGR is setting up a series of job readiness workshops and job fairs in the state.