NJ Veterans Get Helping Hand from Governor Christie

In an effort to help New Jersey veterans and military spouses find jobs, the Christie Administration today launched a job fair entitled, 'Hiring Our Heroes' at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton.  Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and other officials from the administration joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

More than 120 employers in the Garden State including Johnson & Johnson, PSEG, Toys R Us along with  small businesses and government agencies participated.

"Today's event is another example of this administration's commitment to hire our veterans and dedicate our resources to help them reach their career and employment goals," said Guadagno.  "New Jersey is a leader in its efforts to transition military men and women back to civilian life and to give our veterans the tools to succeed."

'Hiring Our Heroes' was launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber Foundation in March 2011.  It's a grassroots campaign to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment in hundreds of communities across the nation.

"Hiring veterans just makes good business sense," said Commissioner Harold Wirths of the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.  "Veterans have already proven their dedication through their commitment to service and when they come home they shouldn't have to fight the battle of unemployment.  My department will continue to provide them with the employment resources to find a job, improve their skills or discover a new career."

As of 2011, New Jersey was home to 430,000 veterans, age 20 and older.  Of those veterans, 209,000 were counted as being in the state labor force and 186,000 of them were listed as employed.  The state's unemployment rate for non-veterans during 2011 was 8.9 percent, compared to 10.7 percent for veterans, according to the Current Population Survey report compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.