AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: Global organization holds virtual job fair for Syracuse veterans
Dan Papillo: Many veterans of the area can’t find work easily after the military. For some, like former Marine James Elkridge of Clay, the years of service take a toll on their bodies.
James Elkridge: “For a long time, I never went out. Cause it (caused) more pain than I needed to be in, and I couldn’t function.”
Dan Papillo: To fight this, new services are being introduced to help. MilitaryX, a global employment organization in four countries, is bringing its rapid-fire job fair to Syracuse today. Veterans can log on to a computer even with no resume and be connected with hundreds of employers to find work. But for those like Elkridge, it sounds too good to be true.
James Elkridge: “I’m too broke to go back to work, and nobody wants to hire a 60-year-old guy anyhow.”
Dan Papillo: The event runs today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and has helped hundreds of disabled veterans get back to work according to their website. Dan Papillo, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – A job search organization established in four countries worldwide brought its rapid-fire virtual job fair to the Syracuse area on Monday. The event allowed veterans to log on through a computer without any prior experience to connect with over 100 employers in the area.
MilitaryX, the organizer of the event, was established in 2018 and has brought these type of events to all 50 states, as well as Canada, England and Australia. Despite the success, some local veterans are skeptical about being able to get hired.
“I’m too broke to go back to work,” said James Elkridge, a Clay man who served in the Marines during the Cold War. “Nobody wants to hire a 60-year-old guy anyhow.”
Over 23,000 veterans reside in Onondaga County, which makes up just under five percent of the population. Nationally, the unemployment rate for veterans was 6.4% in 2023 and is now down to 2.8% as of Oct. 1, 2024. But for some, like Elkridge, the toll of service keeps him out of the force.
“For a long time, I never went out,” Elkridge said. “Because it (caused) more pain than I needed to be in, and I couldn’t function.”
The event runs Monday, Oct 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to help over 100 Central New York residents find work on average according to MilitaryX’s website.