JOINT MULTINATIONAL READINESS CENTER, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria recently hosted career and volunteer fairs across the garrison to bring together employers with potential employees and private organizations with potential volunteers.
At the Hohenfels event last month, nearly 30 combined volunteer organizations and employers met with community members.
"It's volunteer organizations and employers," Jonelle Boye, the Soldier and Family Readiness Program manager for the garrison. "There are contract organizations as well. Some of them are accepting resumes. They have their current job listings at their tables. And really this is just an opportunity for the community to come out and see what's available to them."
One of the financial institutions on post went to the event in search of an assistant manager. Some volunteer organizations also looked for specific positions.
"We're looking for [overseas committee] chairholders such as treasurers, secretaries for example," said Tuesday Vang, overseas committee chair for the Girl Scouts of the USA at Hohenfels. "And we're still adding girls into our troops."
Vang appreciated the opportunities the fair afforded the scouting program.
"I love the career fair, I love the volunteer fair," she said. "It gets us out there, so people do know we exist because we are a small installation."
Ashley Ontiveros, an education services specialist with the Army Continuing Education System, said that in addition to ACES' contracting organization having openings, the fair presented possibilities to advance careers other ways.
"We are here to offer information to anyone who is looking to go back to school," she said. "We have scholarship information; we have information on getting started in school."
She said the opportunities were available for full- or part-time work at Hohenfels.
"You just have to go out and look for those opportunities," Ontiveros said.
Beyond the career and volunteer fair, Boye recommended volunteers meet with Army Community Services if they are looking for volunteer opportunities, apart from the American Red Cross and USO, who manage their own volunteer programs.
"The Army Volunteer Corps coordinator is housed with ACS, and they oversee the garrison volunteer opportunities," Boye said. "They can always get that information from ACS, who can get them to the Volunteer Management Information System."
VMIS provides volunteers the opportunity to track their volunteer hours officially and to seek local volunteer opportunities.
For employment opportunities with the U.S. government, Boye recommended Americans visit USAJobs.gov and local nationals visit the Multi National [sic] Recruitment System, or MNRS, at https://portal.chra.army.mil/mnrs. She also offered advice for those seeking employment but who don't know where to start.
"Please consider tapping into ACS and utilizing the Employment Readiness Program," Boye said, "whether it is for career exploration, you're really just not sure what you want to do, you're looking to change your career path altogether."
To learn more about the Employment Readiness Program at the page here, or call ACS at 09472-708-4860 or DSN 522-4860.
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