By Michael Roach, USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs
Applicants and employers crowded the Swabian Event Center on U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart’s Patch Barracks Oct. 28 for a day of events designed to help military spouses, transitioning personnel and more find the next steps of their careers.
USAG Stuttgart’s Transition Assistance Program, part of the Directorate of Human Resources, coordinated with the non-profit organization Hiring our Heroes to bring classes and employers directly to potential employees.
“We’ve got an amazing pool of qualified candidates, and it is a huge win to be able to connect them with opportunities both local and throughout the globe,” USAG Stuttgart Director of Human Resources James Hill said. “It’s about them, the people seeking jobs, to give them opportunities.”
Capt. Patrick Gendron attended the career fair in preparation to retire from the Navy next spring. As he looks for a job that keeps him in Europe or Japan, he said that events like this one are key for transitioning service members
“The best thing that people can do is go out early and see what’s available to them,” Gendron said. “The transition process is a little daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. The more you know the better prepared you can be.”
Creating opportunities for military spouses, reshaping the workforce and connecting available applicants with roles that help support the future objectives of the Army and Department of War starts with events like the USAG Stuttgart Career Summit, according to Hill.
“We get to support our community members, it’s what we’re here for, to serve people,” Hill said. “But the larger picture is that we make sure our mission partners and the greater organization retain talent and experience, even if it is at another location. This summit is a win, locally and globally.”
Approximately 150 jobseekers attended the USAG Stuttgart Career Summit, where dozens of employers were able to meet them.