MacDill's Exchange welcomes CareerSource Tampa Bay

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jenay Randolph
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  "With the unemployment rates dropping and Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen being forced out, it's hard to really create a plan," expresses Mario Rodriquez, CareerSource Tampa Bay program coordinator. "And that's why we are here, to help them get that plan and ensure that they are successful in transitioning from military to civilian life."

CareerSource Tampa Bay MacDill Transition Center has been around for many years, but they have recently moved to a new centralized location, in the Base Exchange, in hopes to establish a long-term presence. The moved happened Aug. 4, 2014 at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

The grand opening of the new CareerSource Tampa Bay MacDill Transition Center location was held on Aug. 6, which included a ribbon cutting and the presence of base leadership along with Tampa Bay community leaders touring the new facility.

"With this move we hope to reach out to more people and be more accessible to the spouses, dependents and transitioning members here at MacDill," said William Farnard, military CareerSource Tampa Bay family employment advocate. "The BX is a place that everyone attends frequently, so what better place for us to be in order to reach our audience."

Also with this move, the center has a future goal of inviting employers to conduct information sessions and recruitment events for spouses, dependents and transitioning members.

For those who are unfamiliar with the CareerSource Tampa Bay MacDill Transition Center, it is a one-stop shop for job search assistance. The center assists with resume writing and reviews, job interviewing skills, and job searching skills, the key tools in making this transition easier.

They also offer information on education opportunities, career-development classes and job clubs. Many resources are available at the center that transitioning members, spouses and dependents may need to thrive in the civilian world.

"CareerSource Tampa Bay is able to get your resume in the hands of real-life employers and not have it sitting in a database along with others waiting for the possibility that it gets to the right person," said Farnard. "We also offer that face-to-face interaction, not only with the employees but with the employers."

The members at the center have good working relationships with employers in the Tampa Bay community, which helps them to lead the candidates in the right direction. Together, they sponsor and participate in quarterly job fairs on base.