According to a report released by the Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information & Analysis last year, the unemployment rate among veterans in Allegheny County as of 2013 was 7.3 percent, which was about a third of a percent higher than the general population.
Veterans in the Pittsburgh area who are currently seeking employment can attend an exclusive job fair at Heinz Field Thursday.
Rob Arndt, RecruitMilitary event coordinator, said the All Veterans Job Fair, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will include companies of various sizes in the hopes that the fair would appeal to a wide array of job seekers.
Arndt said the fair will include employers “from all walks of the world,” as well as several institutions of higher-education for veterans looking to go back to school.
There is a cost for the businesses that choose to recruit at the event, but it is free for people who have served in the military, according to Arndt.
“For veterans, as well as spouses, the event is 150 percent free,” he said. “Same thing with our job board and all of our services…none of our services cost anything to anyone who has served in any capacity.”
There are 53 employers registered to recruit at the event, including several local companies such as PNC and WESCO.
“For the vets that are coming out, I would recommend showing up dressed to impress, business attire,” he said. “Print off about 30 to 40 copies of your résumé. Work on your 30 second elevator pitch. And if you need any help connecting with the right companies, I’ll be on site almost working as a matchmaker to connect them with the right people.”
He said he also recommends that attendees register a profile on the RecruitMilitary website before they show up, because companies will have access to these and can view potential candidates ahead of time.
He said he expects hundreds of veterans to attend; Last year’s attendance total was about 350.
“This event keeps growing bigger and bigger for us,” he said. “The employers around here in the Pittsburgh area have been phenomenal, as well as the vets in this area. Just a really diverse talent pool, with everything from hands-on labor type skill to upper-echelon executives.”
There are 250,000 veterans currently living in the Pittsburgh area, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
