Let’s get you hired

LET’S GETYOU HIRED!

BY ERNEST VALTIER

ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICE (ACS) EMPLOYMENT READINESS PROGRAM (ERP)

According to the Office of Personal Management (OPM) website, OPM.gov, in January of 2022 the Federal Human Resource agency issued guidance to officially implement a $15 minimum wage for U.S. federal employees, impacting workers in every state. OPM issued a memorandum for the heads of Executive departments and agencies that provided implementing guidance for how agencies should adjust pay rates for General Schedule (GS) and Federal Wage System. In total, it has impacted 67,000 out of 2.2 million federal employees. The largest share of these workers, more than 56,000 of them, currently work at the Department of Defense to include Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) employees. OPM’s guidance directed agencies to implement these changes by January 30, 2022. The increasing of pay rates to at least $15 per hour will keep the federal government competitive in the marketplace and can serve as a model employer, setting a high bar for other sectors to follow.

The positions from NAF that will receive the raises include Child Youth Program Assistants which will see a significant increase in pay. Most of the employees who will benefit from this wage increase have been on the front lines throughout the pandemic, working resiliently to serve the American public. This is a very important step for men and women who support the military. It is also very well-deserved for the hardworking spouses that support the Fort Bliss community. The precise number of employees who will be affected will not be finalized until after the agency implementation.

Fort Bliss ACS will be hosting a hiring fair Aug. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Centennial Banquet & Conference Center. This event will be open to ActiveDuty military members, spouses, retirees, Family members and DoD ID cardholders. No registration is required to attend the fair. Job seekers can expect to interact with more than 100 employers including government agencies, small and large businesses, nonprofits and diverse industries and career fields. NonAppropriated Funds (NAF) which oversees the hiring for positions within Child & Youth Services (CYS) will be present at the hiring fair. The event is free to attend! Hiring Fairs continue to be a very important tool and opportunity for attendees to experience networking with vetted employers while interacting face-to-face and discovering a wide range of career options available.

The Employment Readiness Program (ERP) will help you prepare with a Hiring Fair Prep Class Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This class will cover topics such as résumé writing, interview skills, dress for success and more. This preparation class also includes a mock interview session that allows attendees a chance to practice their introductions and receive constructive feedback to prepare for navigating a hiring fair. To reserve your seat, call 915-569-5838. There’s so much that ERP has to offer, stop by or call for more information on other classes regarding employment readiness at 915-569-5838. ERP office is located at 2494 Ricker Road.