SCAN Seminar, Petawawa Career Fair next week
Successfully transitioning out of the military can be a difficult task, so Garrison Petawawa Personnel Selection Office (PSO) has put together an event that will help military members, veterans and civilians alike navigate the job market.
The Second Career Assistance Network (SCAN) seminar is typically held by the PSO as a large scale informational event for military members and new veterans to provide the information they need to get out of the military and into the civilian workforce. It covers different subjects from how to get educational funds so they can get a degree all the way to how to blend into a non-military workplace. Partners of the members are also allowed to attend, and ask questions of their own.
For the second year in a row, the SCAN seminar will be offered for three days, and during the second day, the Petawawa Military Family Centre (PMFRC) has organized a large job fair, open to the public as well as those attending the SCAN seminar.
It makes sense to work together and have a larger career-themed event.
“Employers typically respond well to having the opportunity to come and meet with those (military) members because they can leverage those skills for the workplace,” said Lieutenant (Lt) Bobby Hall, Personnel Selection Officer.
By joining forces, we are able to attract a much larger group at the career fair,” said PMFRC Employment Services Coordinator Christina McFadden.
The SCAN seminar is held for three days on Sept. 10, 11 and 12, with each day covering a different subject. Members are invited to attend all three or to join on the day that is most pertinent to them. The Sept. 11 workshop will be held in conjunction with the career fair, where over 50 employers and educators will be at the Petawawa Civic Centre ready to accept resumes and share information on their field.
The career fair covers many different job types, many of them local employers though the larger national employers have their place well. It is successful in connecting people to jobs as many attendees received interviews on the spot, were invited for future interviews or were even hired last year.
“With this career fair, we attract some really great employers and educational institutions,” said McFadden.
“We are here to support our military but also our civilian community,” she added, pointing out that the free fair is open to everyone.
Leading up to the career fair, the PMFRC Employment Services has set up different job-related workshops open to anyone in the community.
They include a resume writing workshop to translate military jargon into employable keyphrases on Monday before the fair and a “Dress to Impress” event, which includes a professional clothing swap, etiquette and networking skills on that Tuesday.
Having a SCAN seminar to help people leave the Canadian Armed Forces correctly is incredibly important to the well-being of veterans.
“The Canadian Armed Forces spend such a significant amount time transitioning people into the institution, so where things like this SCAN assist in that transitioning out of the military piece that sometimes isn’t given as much emphasis,” said Lt Hall.
Though there are several different steps a member should take before leaving the military, the seminar is something that people shouldn’t miss. There is information on the release process, on pensions, on education benefits, on financial planning and wills and several other topics that are necessary for a successful transition. In addition to going to the PSO, members should also go to Veterans Affairs (VA) and the newly stood-up transition unit at Garrison Petawawa.
Even those who aren’t releasing can benefit from attending the seminar and Lt Hall recommends that personnel attend these workshops every three or so years to see what has changed in the world of military policies and services being offered.
“A lot of the time, military members aren’t fully tracking what is offered to them,” said Lt Hall.
There is no registration for the career fair, and it is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Petawawa Civic Centre. It is supported by Garrison Petawawa as well as the Labour Market of Renfrew and Lanark, the County of Renfrew and Employment Ontario.
People must register for SCAN and registration for the upcoming event can be done in person, online through SharePoint or by contacting the Base Personnel Selection Office (BPSO) at ext. 4626.
People must register for SCAN and registration for the upcoming event can be done in person, online through SharePoint or by contacting the Base Personnel Selection Office (BPSO) at ext. 4626.
