Some veterans hired on spot at job fair

Some veterans hired on spot at job fair
June 29, 2012
By Michael Martinez
The Detroit News


Ivy Scorzelli grudgingly came to Detroit's Veteran Job Fair Wednesday at the urging of her husband, John. They both left Thursday overjoyed — and ready to move to Texas for her new job.

The couple, who both served in Afghanistan in the Army Reserve, have been without work since they returned in March. But now the 26-year-old is ready to start a position in human resources for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in Austin, and she couldn't be happier.

"I love the uniform, but I'm ready to take it off and look cute for work," she said.

Scorzelli was part of a fortunate group who found employment on the spot at the three-day job fair at Cobo Center. While final numbers were still being calculated, 10,000 total veterans were expected to walk through Cobo's doors for approximately 25,000 jobs nationwide.

The event, billed as the "mother of all hiring fairs," attempted to put a dent in Michigan's 11 percent veteran unemployment rate.

The roster of local employers included Detroit's Big Three automakers, online home lender Quicken Loans Inc., Big Boy restaurants and Two Men and a Truck, a Lansing-based moving company. National companies included General Electric, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Sears, Home Depot and Edward Jones.

The Veterans Affairs department and Aaron's furniture store were two entities that were able to hire on the spot.
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