The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will host a hiring event Tuesday that aims to connect military spouses with "meaningful employment opportunities."
The event — DLIR's first-ever hiring event on a military base — will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at the 604 Ballroom, 1249 Kolekole Ave. at Schofield Barracks.
“We want our employers to recognize military spouses as valuable assets to their organizations,” DLIR Director Jade Butay said in Monday's announcement. “This event reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering Hawai‘i’s workforce by supporting our military families and creating pathways to meaningful careers.”
"Military spouses face unique employment challenges, especially with frequent moves," a DLIR spokesperson told Aloha State Daily in an email Tuesday afternoon. "We wanted to create a space where they can connect directly with local employers and find opportunities that match their skills."
Although the numbers vary, the spokesperson says that military spouses make up a "significant part of our community," especially in the Islands.
"They're an important part of the local workforce."
According to the department spokesperson, the companies and organizations attending Tuesday's event include Allied Universal, FBI - Honolulu Division; the City and County of Honolulu; U.S. Secret Service; the state Department of Health Environmental Resources; Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority; Navy Child & Youth Program Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc.; Kumabe HR; U.S. Navy, Commander Pacific Fleet; state Department of Human Resources Development; Island Distributing, Reyes Beer Division; Palekana Aquatics Academy; and Y. Hata & Co. Ltd.
According to the department, this is start of a "growing partnership" between DLIR and military leadership "to support service members and their families in building careers and remaining part of Hawai‘i's workforce."
"This partnership grew out of conversations about better supporting military families in the workforce," the spokesperson noted. "We’re starting with this event, but the goal is to continue working together to offer more resources and regular support going forward."
DLIR says those who attend Tuesday's hiring event are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their updated resume and to dress professionally for potential on-the-spot interviews.
"The goal is to connect people to jobs," the spokesperson said when asked about DLIR's ultimate goal with this hiring event. "We also want to build stronger ties with the military community so we can support them more consistently in the future."
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
