Jacksonville EDI (July 2020)

Jacksonville, North Carolina Virtual Economic Development Initiative (EDI) July 9, 10, and 15, 2020.

The Outreach, Transition, and Economic Development (OTED) office hosted its first virtual Economic Development Initiative (EDI), formally known as Economic Investment Initiatives (EII) with the Jacksonville, NC Veterans Benefit Administration, North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Hiring Our Heroes (HoH) and a host of other stakeholders and partners. The conference events included:

• Industry Thursday: VA Connection (9 Jul 20) – During the event, VBA’s Talent Management Office presented on the benefits of working for the Department of Veterans Affairs; provided information on the positions available in VBA’s call centers; and, discussed special hiring authorities. The event was attended by approximately 200 attendees.
• Federal Hiring Fair (10 Jul 20) – Hiring our Heroes (HoH) hosted a Federal hiring event with multiple Federal agencies including VBA.  Over 800 applicants applied across all federal agencies. VBA featured the Legal Administrative Specialist position (38 was positions available).
• Jacksonville NC Townhall (15 Jul 20) – This event provided Veterans, transitioning Service members, and their families an opportunity to communicate about challenges and successes directly with local and Federal government representatives to include: VBA regional Director and the VAMC Director with over 40 participants on the VBA platform and many more on the Rally Point platform.
• Stakeholder Roundtables (15 Jul 20) – The roundtables brought Federal, State and local government partners, Veterans Service Organizations, and corporate leaders together to discuss advancing the economic empowerment of Veterans, transitioning Service members and their families in the Jacksonville area. Roundtable topics included:
  • Identify ways to conduct outreach to Vietnam, women Veteran & rural Veterans to their benefits and services.
  • Address the significant lack of female healthcare services, social worker services for females for the large female population and rapid growth in the Jacksonville, NC area.
  • Identify short and long-term ways to address the high unemployment in the area due to COVID19