Employers Include Chrysler, Dell, Jorge Scientific and U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

WASHINGTON (June 22, 2012) – The Department of Veterans Affairs continues to register public and private sector employers with open positions for its upcoming Veteran Hiring Fair, June 26-28 at Detroit’s Cobo Center. The event is free for Veterans and employers due to a sponsorship from VA for Vets, (http://vaforvets.va.gov), VA’s flagship program setting new standards in Veteran employment for the public and private sectors.

“Veterans bring many leadership qualities to the workplace. Many also have the high-tech skills needed to excel in these cutting-edge, technical environments,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “Employers are offering thousands of jobs in Michigan and across the country. I strongly encourage Veterans to go to our website, speak with a coach and apply for these jobs now.”

A number of participating employers are looking to hire engineers nationwide. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office is hiring for mechanical, electrical and computer engineering positions in Michigan and Virginia. Jorge Scientific Corporation is looking to fill Information Technology Specialist positions in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Louisiana.

Veterans are encouraged to visit http://VAforVets.VA.gov/Detroit now and apply for these positions. Qualified Veterans will be contacted directly by employers to schedule interviews. Veterans may also sign up to work with certified career coaches on the website to fine-tune or develop resumes and prepare for interviews.

VA is hosting three major events at Detroit’s Cobo Center June 26-29: The VA for Vets Hiring Fair, the Veteran Open House will be open to Veterans June 26-28, and the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo will run from June 26-29. The events are expected to attract thousands of Veterans, business owners and federal employees, with an economic impact estimated at $11 million for the city.

More than 24,000 federal and private-sector job openings across the country will be available at the free Veteran Hiring Fair June 26-28. Approximately 4,000 of those jobs will be in the local area, with 3,000 in the private sector and 1,000 in the public sector. VA will bring together partners like the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative and Hiring Our Heroes, along with private sector companies, during the fair.

Not only will the fair provide Veterans an opportunity to showcase their skills to potential employers, it will also assist Veterans with resume preparation, interview techniques and career coaching.

VA hosted a similar event Jan. 18 in Washington, D.C., which attracted over 4,100 Veterans and resulted in more than 2,600 on-the-spot interviews and over 500 tentative job offers.

The Open House gives Veterans and their families the chance to find out about the wide range of financial and health care benefits, services and resources that are available from federal, state and community agencies. Veterans can conveniently enroll in VA care, sign up for MyHealtheVet, and get their questions answered face to face.

The National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo is the premier government event for Veteran-owned businesses. Last year’s conference in New Orleans drew almost 5,000 attendees, and more than 6,000 participants are expected this year. VA will provide Veteran-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned businesses with a wide range of information to help them maximize opportunities in the federal workplace.

Known historically as the world’s capital for the transportation industry, the Detroit metro area is reinventing itself with six booming industries: medical research, defense, entertainment, green tech, urban farming, and aeronautics. About 330,000 Veterans are served by the city’s VA medical center, and more than 704,000 Veterans live in Michigan.

VA invites all interested persons and businesses to attend. More information about the small business conference is available at www.nationalveteransconference.com. Information and registration for the hiring fair is available at www.VAforVets.VA.Gov/Detroit.