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One week before Veteran’s Day, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is partnering with the Virginia Employment Commission, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services and the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives to host the Veteran and Military Career Fair at the United States Army Museum at Fort Belvoir, Va.

Geared toward assisting veterans, active-duty service members and military spouses/partners transitioning out of the military, the hybrid event will take place on November 4, 2021, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Eastern Time. Job seekers can also attend virtually from 1-4 p.m. Eastern Time if they are unable to attend the in-person event.

Register to attend the fair at www.workinnorthernvirginia.com/virtual-career-fairs/. 

During the hybrid event, candidates can interview with more than 50 companies and organizations in Northern Virginia, from Fortune 500s to small businesses. Regional employers – including Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon, Cox Communications, Inova Health System and the U.S. Department of Justice – are collectively hiring for more than 7,000 positions across sectors ranging from IT to healthcare. All backgrounds and experience levels are welcome, and attendees do not need to live in Northern Virginia to interview with hiring companies.

“Our veterans and active-duty military members transition to civilian life with technical skills, an incredible work ethic and many more qualities that are valuable to our hiring companies in Northern Virginia,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the FCEDA. “We welcome the opportunity through the talent initiative funded by Fairfax County to help veterans from across the nation discover the phenomenal companies, meaningful career opportunities and rich quality of life that Northern Virginia has to offer.”

As the global economy works to rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the veteran community has found itself facing a particularly difficult road to recovery. A recent report from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that unemployment among Post-9/11 veterans increased to 3.5 percent from 3.1 percent, even as overall US unemployment dropped from 5.2 percent to 4.8 percent from September to October.

The Veteran and Military Career Fair is the latest effort by the FCEDA initiative to attract, retain, retrain and grow talent in Northern Virginia. A series of five virtual career fairs hosted by the FCEDA beginning in July 2020 collectively attracted nearly 3,500 attendees and resulted in more than 7,000 completed conversations between job seekers and hiring reps from a wide range of employers. This morning, WorkinNorthernVirginia.com has listings for more than 165,000 open positions in the region.

“We believe that Fairfax County can be a proving ground for how we get our nation’s veterans working in the private sector,” said Jeffrey C. McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “The wide reach of the Economic Development Authority talent initiative shows that innovative approaches to hiring are our best path toward reshaping our post-pandemic economy, attending to the needs of our hiring companies and ensuring skilled workers can find impactful roles in our community.”

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, which promotes and markets Northern Virginia outside the region and conducts activities and events to build the regional business community. Other members of NOVA EDA are the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development.

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