More than 24,000 Jobs Will Be Offered to Veterans at Detroit VA for Vets Event

WASHINGTON (June 20, 2012)– The Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO) will host its largest hiring fair to date at Detroit’s Cobo Center, June 26-28, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. 

The unique format of this event is one way the VA for Vets program is helping Veterans get career ready.  Veterans can visit www.VAforVets.VA.gov/Detroit now and apply for public and private sector jobs being offered nationwide.  Qualified Veterans will be contacted by employers and scheduled for interviews in advance of the event.

“We are committed to improving the lives of our Veterans and their families, and that means helping them find meaningful employment,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is taking a lead role in seeking innovative ways to bring more Veterans into the civilian workforce.”

VA is hosting three major events at Detroit’s Cobo Center June 26-29:  The VA for Vets Hiring Fair, the Veteran open house, and the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo.   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.  VA will bring together partners like the First Lady’s “Joining Forces” initiative and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 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 over 2,600 on-the-spot interviews and more than 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.

###

Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

Contact us online through Ask VA

Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

Learn about our chatbot and ask a question

Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.

More from the Press Room