COLUMBUS, Ga. - Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers will hold a hiring event and resource fair at the National Infantry Museum on Thursday, Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum, 1775 Legacy Way, according to WTVM. It is aimed at veterans, military families and the general public, and employers and community resource providers will be on site.

The details

The event is Thursday, Nov. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus. WTVM reported that hourly roles will start at $17 per hour. The jobs on offer also include skilled trades, technical positions, federal jobs, and salaried management and professional careers, with some salaries above six figures.

The report did not say whether registration is required or how to sign up in advance. It also did not list admission or parking details. Anyone who wants to confirm those points before going can contact Goodwill directly; the organization lists a phone number of 706-324-4366 on its website.

Who will be there

WTVM listed several participating employers and resources: Sam's Club, V2X Aerospace and Defense, the U.S. Postal Service, Muscogee County Schools, USAJOBS, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Fort Benning and Martin Army Community Hospital. The report said others will take part as well, but it did not name them. Federal hiring is represented by the postal service, the VA, Fort Benning and USAJOBS, which is the federal government's job-listing site.

Goodwill's president and CEO, Jack Warden, said in the report: "This event connects veterans and their families with employers and meaningful career opportunities." Attendees are advised to bring multiple copies of their resume and to dress professionally. They should be ready to discuss pay, benefits, schedules, hiring incentives, qualifications and opportunities for advancement.

About the host

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers is headquartered at 2601 Cross Country Drive in Columbus, according to its website. The organization's tagline is "Donate Stuff. Create Jobs." Its site lists retail stores, donation centers, career centers, training centers and an Opportunity Center, along with a GED program called BRIDGE.

The site also describes free career-related programs for veterans, their families, active-duty spouses and service members who are leaving the military. Other free services it lists include career development and certification courses, a virtual career center, and free tax preparation through the IRS-partnered VITA program for households earning less than $67,000 a year. The hiring event fits into that work, since it puts employers and services in one room on one afternoon.

How this fits with other Veterans Day events

The museum is also the site of its own Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11, according to WTVM's roundup of area veterans events. That ceremony starts at 10 a.m., is free and features speaker Noah Galloway and the dedication of new Heritage Walk pavers. The hiring event on Nov. 12 is a separate Goodwill program and is not part of the ceremony.

Job seekers who plan to attend both days should note that the two events are separate and have different schedules. The Wednesday ceremony is a commemoration, while Thursday is built around employers and resources. The Nov. 12 date also falls one day after a Columbus government holiday closure for Veterans Day, so city offices will be open again.

Tips for job seekers

Goodwill's guidance in the report is straightforward: bring several copies of your resume, dress as you would for an interview and come with questions. Because employers will talk about pay and schedules, it helps to know in advance what hours and salary you need. The report did not say any specific documents or forms of identification are required, so it is worth checking with Goodwill before you go.

The event is open to the general public as well as to veterans and military families. People who cannot attend on Thursday can still use Goodwill's online job search and virtual career center, which its website describes as free. Those tools may help job seekers prepare before the event. Details on current openings are on Goodwill's Find A Job page.