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Cannon News

Gathering information, broadening horizons

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexxis Pons Abascal
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Regional Growth Management Office, in conjunction with the Public-Private Private-Public Partnership and other affiliates, hosted a regional Spring Job Fair April 29, at the Clovis Civic Center, N.M.

Event coordinators held the fair to help connect local job seekers with businesses that needed their unique skills and expertise. According to an event facilitator, Eastern New Mexico holds a diverse workforce made up of many individuals who want to work with local businesses such as military spouses and dependents, veterans, retirees and students.

"We decided to take the lead on this because we had already built the model for the fair," said Raymond Mondragon, Eastern Plains Council of Governments Economic and Community Development Planner. "Because of the success we've had in the past, we are already looking ahead and planning another fair this fall in Portales."

The P-4 Partnership is comprised of: the city of Clovis, Curry County, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce, Clovis Industrial Development Corporation, Clovis Committee of 50, the city of Portales, Roosevelt County, the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce and the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation.

This unique Air Force community partnership initiative provides a framework through which military installations, such as Cannon, can come together with community leaders and help develop innovative ways to leverage capabilities and resources to focus on reducing costs and risk factors by identifying shared interests.
"This particular venue offers our military members and dependents who are seeking employment some really amazing and unique opportunities," said Capt. Hillary Hedberg, 27th Special Operations Wing Equal Opportunity director. "If you only focus on the immediate area when job hunting, you could be missing out on opportunities in the region and jobs that could really benefit from your unique skillset and talent."

The goal of this program is to enhance mission viability and improve quality of life for Airmen while implementing collaborative projects that provide mutual value to the government and local communities.

"I'm preparing to separate this August and I've been actively scouting around to see what jobs I'm qualified for to support myself while I'm furthering my personal education after my enlistment ends," said Staff Sgt. Chad Pennartz, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance. "I heard about this fair during my pre-separation briefing and I was really surprised to actually find someone here looking for people with my specific training. It's reassuring to know that my Air Force training can actually transfer to the civilian workforce."

Many Air Force installations have successfully worked with community stakeholders over several decades to build and maintain relationships that promote both mission success and community economic sustainability.

For additional information regarding P-4 Partnership, contact the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce at 575-763-3435 or the Eastern Plains Council of Governments at 575-762-7714.

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