INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The message to potential candidates from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ leaders and hiring managers was clear during a recent career fair: “We are hiring!”
Over a two-day period, Nov. 1-2, USACE’s South Pacific Division was among several federal agencies that converged on SoFi Stadium for the Total Army Career Fair with one mission in mind: to recruit talent and fill critical vacant positions across all four of its districts.
“We are focusing on recruitment and retention at these types of events,” said Col. James Handura, commander of USACE’s South Pacific Division, which includes the Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and Albuquerque districts. “I’ve got about 250 vacancies right now within our division – across our four districts – that we need to hire, and that’s to support a more than $3-billion annual program.”
The event, which was open to the public, was hosted by Deputy Army Undersecretary Mario Diaz and included representatives for Department of the Army civilian vacancies, as well as recruiters from active duty, National Guard and Reserve components, with the goal of emphasizing the Army as an employer of choice and promote opportunities available to civilians in the Army.
In total, USACE’s South Pacific Division presented 12 applicants with on-the-spot tentative job offers during the event.
Jinzaemon Kimoto was the first prospective employee to receive a job offer as a contracting specialist with the Los Angeles District.
“I came here to join the federal workforce – mission successful! I do have a job offer,” he said. “I am very excited to start. I’m happy to help our nation and work for a better future for my child.”
Kimoto said he gravitated to USACE because of its mission.
“I’m excited about our mission and look forward to doing different things: secure our nation, energize our economy and help reduce disaster risk,” he said. “A lot of (the mission) focuses on helping U.S. citizens and helping those abroad, who are a part of the service. It was just really (about) contributing toward our community – toward our environment. The mission really spoke to me. There’s a lot of work to be done, and, I’m happy to be part of the team.”
According to Emily Wang, Workforce Management administrator for the Los Angeles District, the LA District is looking to fill positions in several areas, including civil engineers, specifically in hydraulics, hydrology, geotechnical and environmental engineers, but also administrative officers, workforce management specialists, budget analysts, accountants and public affairs specialists.
“It’s a really large landscape of different professions and career levels … but really, what we truly want to find, are people who just want to make that impact – that difference,” she said.
One of the most important components of the hiring process, said Lt. Col. Stephen Brooks, deputy commander of the LA District, is ensuring candidates possess the necessary expertise and are team players.
“We have one of the most diverse portfolios of projects across the entire U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ enterprise,” he said. “Can you take constructive criticism? Do you have the foundational expertise of what we’re looking for? What we’re looking for in employees is, quite simply, good teammates.”
Mary Fronck, contracting chief for USACE’s San Francisco District, was one of many USACE hiring managers at the career fair recruiting applicants.
“I’m representing the San Francisco District and contracting as a whole,” she said. “We are extending tentative job offers to qualified individuals that seem to be a good match for our organization, whether that’s in San Francisco District, Los Angeles, Sacramento or Albuquerque. We’re all one big family, and we just want to get good, talented people on board.
“Throughout this event, I’ve called my counterparts and said ‘Hey, I’ve got this great candidate, and they’re located here. I can’t fulfil what they need, but maybe you can,’” she added. “We’ve gotten job offers from that, and it’s a great, exciting opportunity.”
Fronck has worked for USACE for more than six years and said she loves it.
“When I left the (Veterans Administration), they said ‘go do construction the right way; go find a job at the Corps,’” she said. “It’s been six-and-a-half years, and I don’t want to leave the Corps. It’s a great family organization, we care about our people, and it’s a lot of fun to build things for our nation.”
Overall, USACE leaders, like Handura, said they were grateful to showcase USACE job opportunities and are looking at ways to continue to recruit talent at events like this in the future.
“We’ve had a great two days here, with the opportunity to bring in folks to learn about the Corps of Engineers’ mission, to learn about the mission in the South Pacific Division and for the opportunity to hire, and that’s what we’re doing today,” Handura said. “We appreciate the opportunity to highlight what we do and the need to bring talented folks on the team, here at SoFi Stadium.
“We’re looking at the next event where we can do this at – whether that’s here, in the Bay area, in Sacramento or Albuquerque,” he added. “All within our area, we cover 10 western states and four districts … We’re ready to hire. We are looking at bringing talented folks on our team to deliver that $3-billion-plus program.”