Dover AFB hosts Transition Summit

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Damien Taylor
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Team Dover is hosting the 2nd Annual Hiring Our Heroes Transition Summit April 12, 2018, here.

The summit’s purpose is to improve employment for service members transitioning out of the military giving them an opportunity to partner with successful veterans and businesses. It is a resource offered at Dover Air Force Base to Airmen and their families to assist with changing career paths and acclimating to civilian life.

More than 900 Airmen will be eligible for separation around the time of the upcoming annual Hiring Our Heroes Transition Summit.

This year, the summit is slated to take place at the Landings. This event is scheduled for one day, opposed to three days last year. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce marketing team, the factors considered in planning the summit were Airmen’s time, employer resources, a ‘conversation to hire’ platform instead of ‘job fair’ behind the table platform, and providing a ‘purpose to hire’ for ready positions.

Team Dover’s goal is to support Airmen throughout their careers while enhancing mission effectiveness and readiness. The event is intended to focus on three aspects of a service member's career: recruitment, retention and transition.

“Hiring our Heroes, alongside personnel from Dover AFB and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has put tremendous effort into making this event worthwhile,” said Col. Ethan Griffin, 436th Airlift Wing commander. “Whether you are a military service member considering transitioning, a civilian interested in long-term planning or a second career, a spouse interested in career path development, or a supervisor interested in mentoring your Airmen, the Summit will offer something for everyone.”

Laura Kantor-Chupp, the First State Community Partnership manager explained how this year’s event is different. She said last year’s event had employers sitting behind tables and fostered a platform for promoting businesses instead of a productive two-way conversation, and business promotion isn’t the goal of the summit.

“The human resources experts and hiring managers,” she added, “they often do their hiring at social events, in places where potential employees tend to be more relaxed and candid.”

Businesses have to have at least five vacancies for hire to participate in the summit.

Susan Holliday, the Airman and Family Readiness director, encourages Airmen to come out to the industry briefs and participate.

“There’s going to be a lot of things going on at once,” said Holliday. “If somebody wants to check out a company; but the company is busy, they can go and do a mock interview, resume review, or talk to a different employer.”

In addition to the summit, the A&FR has scheduled numerous courses and classes for service members such as the Civilian Resume Writing Workshop, Dress for Success and Rapid Resume Review.

Service members interested in the courses can contact A&FR at (302) 677-6930.

All who plan to attend the summit are requested to please register ahead of time. To register for the summit, please go to www.hiringourheroes.org/events.