News
February 25, 2016Symposium On Veterans’ Employment To Be Held In Saratoga Springs
An overview of the job market for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and the ins-and-outs of hiring veterans will be the focus of a symposium on Thursday, March 3, 7:30-10:30 a.m. at The Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
The event will be of special interest to businesses, human resource professionals, and veterans’ service agencies seeking to increase job opportunities for veterans. The discussion will include information on the benefits and resources available to businesses that hire veterans.
The symposium will begin with breakfast, followed by keynote speaker Michael D. Billok, an employment-law attorney and U.S. Navy veteran. He will discuss legal issues and compliance related to veteran hiring.
Billok regularly counsels employers in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and the not-for-profit sector. He has successfully represented employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, OSHA, and various New York State agencies. He is a 1996 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former submarine officer.
Following the keynote, the event will offer panel discussions covering such topics as the advantages of hiring veterans; training and transition services available, both pre- and post-hire; veterans’ perspectives on transitioning from military to civilian careers; and the translation of titles from military to civilian positions.
Among the panelists will be Joe Pennell, junior vice commander with the Disabled American Veterans; Erin Drout, community employment coordinator at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, N.Y.; and Keith Prairie, of Martin’s Point Health Care, a not-for-profit organization that offers health insurance plans to military retirees and their families.
The conference is presented by First-GIG.com, LLC, a Saratoga Springs-based company that operates two career-placement services—VetsBridge.com, which specializes in the employment of returning veterans, and 1stGig.com, which focuses on jobs for college graduates. First-GIG.com has developed proprietary algorithms for both programs that make it easier and faster for potential employees and employers to find each other. The service is available to veterans and students at no charge.
VetsBridge.com specializes in matching military experience and skills with jobs at companies and employers worldwide that are committed to hiring returning veterans. Military personnel can begin their job search at any time, even before completing their military service, by creating a profile and managing their job search.
This activity has been submitted to the HR Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management for general credit. The cost of attendance is $40 and includes breakfast. Participants must register online.
For more information, contact Beth Moeller at Interactive Media Consulting, LLC, who is organizing the symposium, at 518.587.5107 or info@vetsbridgesymposium.com.
