FORT POLK, La. — So, you’re an Army spouse and your Soldier receives an assignment to Fort Polk. For those not familiar with the sprawling installation located in West Central Louisiana, there is often concern about what employment opportunities there are for Family members of Soldiers.
The concern seems well founded, as Fort Polk is located in a relatively rural area of the state. However, the situation might not be as dire as it first appears, as there are programs in place to help members of the Army family find jobs that are not only available in the Fort Polk area, but also could follow to the Soldier’s next duty station.
Michele Stevens is a former Army spouse (her husband, Matthew is now retired) who had concerns about finding a job when she and her husband came to Fort Polk.
“When my husband got orders for Fort Polk, I reached out first to CPAC (Civilian Personnel Advisory Center) to find out what the job market was like,” Stevens said. “I was finishing up my master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology and had done some independent counseling.”
Stevens said she was given Stacey Delgado’s (Army Community Service Employment Readiness Program manager) name and spoke with her a couple of times before her Family arrived at Fort Polk.
“When we got here, I went to see her,” she said. “I took her ’10 Steps to a Federal Job’ class and it was phenomenal. I thought I knew how to write a resume, but I learned that a civilian resume is quite different from a federal resume.”
Stevens said the class was so beneficial, she wound up taking it three times.
“I was concerned she (Delgado) would think I was a pest,” Stevens said. “But she was always so willing to help me out.”
Delgado helped Stevens work on her resume. She also helped her with interview skills and then broached another subject with her — volunteering.
“Because I didn’t have paid experience on my resume, she suggested I volunteer to help boost my resume,” Stevens said. “I said ‘sure.’”
As it turned out, Delgado had a spot in her office that needed a volunteer. And in the meantime, Stevens said Delgado also coordinated with CPAC personnel to find out what she needed to do to improve her chances of receiving a federal job referral.
“I eventually got a job referral for a position here on Fort Polk,” Stevens said. “It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but I was able to get my foot in the door of the federal system.”
Stevens is not the only success story of someone who used the workshops and hiring fairs often held on Fort Polk. Adebowale Soyomi, known to his maintenance co-workers at Child Development Center, bldg 702, as Temi (pronounced Tim), is another success story of a Family member who was able to find a job, this one with the Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation, after his spouse, Sgt. 1st Class Olajumoke Soyomi, received an assignment to Fort Polk.
Soyomi, who along with his spouse are from Nigeria, said he attended a hiring fair on Fort Polk and Delgado suggested he come by her office to work on his resume.
“She worked on a few things, then said, ‘You know what Mr. Tim? This is the job for you,’” he said. “She was right. It was perfect for me.”
Soyomi said the help he received in preparing his resume, along with work on his interviewing skills and job application, were paramount in his being hired.
“She was right there with me when I filled out the applications, and she still checks with me to see if there is anything she can do to help me,” he said. “She’s awesome.”
Both Stevens and Soyomi said it’s important to do two things to facilitate getting a job with the federal government: Sign up for spousal preference and take the classes offered by Delgado.
“Anyone I know who is looking for a job on Fort Polk, I send to Stacey,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your background or your experience, she’ll help you.”
Stevens agreed.
“The first thing I would tell a young spouse looking for a job is to go see Stacey Delgado,” Stevens said. “I would also tell them to go to any of these hiring fairs Fort Polk hosts so they can interact with people looking for employees.
“And take the classes and workshops offered through ACS (Army Community Service). The more you can learn about applying for federal jobs, the better chance you have of getting hired.”
The next Fort Polk Hiring and Education Event, hosted by Army Community Service, the Army Continuing Education System and the Soldier For Life — Transition Assistance Program, is held July 25 and 26. Workshops to help you get hired are held July 25 at the Berry Mission Training Complex, 6235 Georgia Ave., bldg 2675, from 1-4:30 p.m. The Hiring Fair is held July 26 at the Warrior Fitness Center, 8314 Alabama Ave., bldg 2276, from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Participants can preregister for the event at www.eventbrite.com/e/fort-polk-2018-hiring-and-education-event-tickets-46979888110.
For more information call 531-1591.
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.13.2018 09:36 |
| Story ID: | 284109 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Success stories show value of hiring fairs, workshops, by Chuck Cannon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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