Legion-supported job fair a big success in Puerto Rico

Staff members and volunteers from The American Legion participated in a Hiring Our Heroes job fair on May 18 in Puerto Rico, which featured 51 employers and nearly 570 veterans, transitioning servicemembers and military spouses seeking resume-building assistance as well as other job services to help them find employment.

The job fair, held at the USAG Fort Buchanan Community Club and Conference Center, was one of more than 100 that the Legion participates in on an annual basis. Legion delegation included representatives from the Department of Puerto Rico, staff from the Legion’s national office in Washington, D.C., and other officials from the Puerto Rico VA Health Care System.

“We made sure that everybody knew that this was an American Legion function, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” Puerto Rico Department Adjutant Juan Cruz-Rodriquez said. “The main thing was branding. We want to largely make sure that these people understood The American Legion is out there and we want to help them. We were very successful with that.”

According to statistics collected by Hiring Our Heroes, the overall success of the event was a result of:

• 10 service providers;

• Four workshops including an American Legion Resume Workshop, Hiring Our Heroes Resume Engine Workshop, American Legion Networking Reception/panel discussion with employers and a Small Business Workshop taught by U.S. Small Business Administration officials;

• 1,068 resumes accepted;

• 272 interviews;

• 209 potential job offers; and

• about 11 firm job offers.

“There’s no doubt that all the veterans that participated actually got a great opportunity to find a job,” said Rodriquez. “Plus, they actually (received helpful) tools and skills from the workshops — the workshops were assigned to give them the knowledge on how to do a real good resume and how to professionally network with others and be better competitive. I think it was just a really good opportunity to meet employers at the federal level and the local level here in Puerto Rico.”

Rodriquez said the goal of the job fair wasn’t just simply to provide the military community with job opportunities. Rather, it was also about changing Puerto Rico’s economy in terms of keeping its residents and attracting new ones. “Last year, there weren’t that many people who attended the job fair. What we like to see is that it’s getting bigger and bigger every year,” he said. “The word’s getting out and people already know that The American Legion is providing this job fair. That’s what we want, especially with the way the economy is now. It’s really, really hard on people. We have an exodus of residents going to the states and leaving Puerto Rico because of the harsh conditions here in the economy. But we need people to stay.”

Thanks to Hiring Our Heroes and the Legion’s involvement, Rodriquez said that collaboration is helping to create a more positive impact on Puerto Rico’s economy and unity among the military community, as well as the local workforce.

“It’s great. It’s an opportunity that I love to be a part of,” said Rodriquez. “We’re giving a chance, the opportunity to young veterans to stay in the workforce and spread the word in their communities. This is huge. We want people to stay in our workforce and help the economy get better in country. It’s an honor for me to be part of the Hiring Our Heroes program and working with The American Legion, and the Chamber of Commerce to change the landscape here in Puerto Rico.”