FORT SILL, Okla. -- The Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) held a hiring event that featured companies seeking employees for local, state, national and international positions Oct. 25 at Truman Education Center here.
Debra Watts, ACAP transition services manager, said the hiring event was a great success.
"We had 33 companies and about 300 job seekers, which included active-duty Soldiers who are preparing to transition, family members and retired veterans who are actively seeking employment," she said. "Our job seekers were happy with the number of companies who are looking to hire them."
Because the event received no funding, special perks, such as free coffee, were not offered. However, Watts said, company representatives appreciated they weren't charged a fee to attend.
Watts said 10 job seekers were offered positions, and seven accepted.
With four years Army experience, Pfc. Clayton Graham is ready to leave active-duty service, though that won't happen until Aug. 2. In the meantime, he's looking for information technology positions primarily in the Oklahoma area.
"This was a great event, I handed out a lot of résumés and got three or four good contacts," said the Tulsa native, "I hope I get some call backs."
Clifton Tardif represented Northrop Grumman, a global company with jobs in 50 states and 27 countries. He said software and computer engineers, and logistics expertise were all areas the company is seeking to fill.
"We're here to provide these great Soldiers with an opportunity for their future," he said. "We're an awesome veteran-friendly company, and hope we can find some good Soldiers and put them to work for their next career."
Tardif brought 75 jobs posted within a 200-mile radius of Fort Sill for those interested in living in the local area. He added, like most major companies, Northrop Grumman also lists other positions on the company's website.
For those looking to become their own boss, Jana England, a State Farm Insurance recruiter, talked with Soldiers about insurance agent positions with her company.
"We've had great success with military hires in State Farm usually they are well educated and have a lot of good life skills that make for good potential agents," she said.
Though she mainly was seeking candidates for agent positions, State Farm also offers other support opportunities listed on its website.
Just like the business world is seeking good employees, colleges and universities are also potential sources of employment for people with military-related backgrounds
Duane Hunt from Oklahoma State University said the school is interested in increasing the number of retired veterans in its workforce. He said OSU has five branch campuses and county extension offices throughout the state.
Arriving at the hiring event in a coat and tie, Sgt. 1st Class Rowan Dunnaway is within five months of hanging up his Army Service Uniform. With a varied background and a note of excitement in his voice, Dunnaway was looking at the various firms represented to see where he may fit in. His Army career could be a good road map for others to follow as he's served in a variety of positions and has skills that should provide him a variety of opportunities.
"I have a background in construction as a construction engineer, have worked in protocol, as a grounds manager and a housing manager," he said.
Dunnaway is also an instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and that skill in his portfolio may prove the most useful as he said a contractor had teaching positions it was seeking to fill in the immediate area, where he would prefer to live.
However, he also found a lead with an oil company that was interested in his engineering background, but that job would require him to move.
The next ACAP hiring event will be in the spring, though no specific date has been scheduled yet.
All ACAP employment events are held primarily for Soldiers and their family members. However, retired veterans and others with access to post who are looking for work are welcome.
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