NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Veterans across Tennessee gathered Wednesday at job fairs specifically designed to help them transition from military service to civilian careers, as many face unique challenges in a competitive job market.
James Covey, who recently retired from the military in February, brought two decades of human resources experience to one of five "Paychecks for Patriots" job and resource fairs held statewide.
He spent his last six years with the Tennessee Army National Guard in recruiting.
"I have about 20 years of experience doing HR. I spent the last six years in the Tennessee Army National Guard doing recruiting," Covey said.
Despite his extensive background, Covey is experiencing the reality many veterans and non-veterans face when job hunting right now.
"I'm applying to a lot of jobs, quite a few, few interviews, but still looking, still searching, and still waiting for that, for that call, to come back," Covey said.
The events, open to the public, represent a joint effort between American Job Centers and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The fairs aim to address both veteran employment challenges and broader community job needs.
"It's used to bring awareness to not only the difficulty that veterans have in finding meaningful employment after the military, but also to help the community with finding jobs," said Daniel Noffsinger, assistant state director for Jobs for Veterans State Grant in Tennessee.
Noffsinger said that some employers remain hesitant to hire veterans due to misconceptions.
"There's a lot of stigma and stereotypes that sometimes the veterans have to overcome," Noffsinger said.
However, he believes military service often provides valuable workplace skills that benefit employers.
"Work ethic, timeliness, sense of teamwork, you know, is baked within," Noffsinger said.
Randy Welch, a Cold War-era veteran who now works with the Superior Driving Institute, attended the fair with the driving institute.
He remembers his own transition challenges out of the military.
"Sometimes it takes a while. It took me a few years to get out of it. I was a senior NCO and Staff Sergeant Aviator. Yeah, it was a big, it was a big change," said Welch, senior driving instructor for Superior Driving Institute.
For Covey, the military instilled qualities he hopes to bring to his next civilian role.
"My military service has taught me a lot about devotion to duty and loyalty, time management, punctuality, a job well done. Not just a job done, but a job well done," Covey said.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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