Fort Carson career summit helps bridge gap
To help make that change easier, Fort Carson partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s program Hiring Our Heroes (HOH). Together, they hosted a two-day career summit across the Pikes Peak region, bringing job seekers and business leaders together to turn military experience into civilian careers.
The summit kicked off Sept. 16, 2026, with a workshop for military spouses at the Penrose House in Colorado Springs. Military spouses face unique hurdles because frequent moves often force them to leave steady jobs and start over in new communities. Career coaches showed spouses how to update their resumes, grow their online networks and highlight their adaptability as a top strength.
According to Melissa Sanderson, the executive director of the Military Spouse Program for Hiring Our Heroes, helping the military community members see and articulate their value in the workforce is the organization’s purpose.
“At the heart of the Hiring our Heroes mission, we bridge the gap between our military connected talent with the American businesses,” Sanderson said. “We help employers access a highly skilled resilient workforce, while creating pathways to economic opportunity for military Families.”
The summit also featured a networking reception on Peterson Space Force Base Sept. 16. The mixer gave service members and spouses a space to chat with employers and introduce themselves before the formal job fair.
Among those in attendance was Air Force Senior Airman Eva Valencia, who plans to exit military service in January. Valencia, who hopes to become an AI machine learning engineer, attended the summit to better understand her career possibilities.
"I’m trying to see what my options are, and practice interviewing and pitching myself," said Valencia.
While attending the networking reception, she saw some Soldiers also taking advantage of the joint-service environment. At the reception, Valencia received a free professional headshot photo that she can use for her LinkedIn profile. The informal evening gave her a head start for the next day's main event.
The summit culminated with a hiring fair at the Fort Carson Special Events Center, Sept. 17. Over 85 employers and transition resources filled the room, offering open positions in aerospace, cybersecurity, logistics, defense contracting and public safety.
Because Valencia attended the networking reception the day before, she was already familiar with some of the representatives from companies at the career fair.
“I saw many of the same companies yesterday,” Valencia said. “I like some of the big-name companies that Hiring Our Heroes has brought out to meet with.”
For Valencia, having this kind of safety net made a stressful time feel much more manageable.
“Getting out of the military is scary enough,” she said. “I’m really glad there’s a bunch of support for people transitioning out.”
Another service member exploring the room was Spc. Justin Newcomb, a Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Newcomb is exiting military service in 2027 after five years of service. He’s an Army tank crewman; however, he is contemplating an industry transition to aviation.
He heard about this job fair from the Transition Assistance Program office. With less than six months left of military service, he admitted he’s nervous about what is next. Walking the hiring floor, however, helped calm those worries.
“One thing I’ve liked about the tables I have visited is that they feel interconnected,” said Newcomb. “Under the Hiring Our Heroes banner the organization reps here know each other and they’re all working to help the military community find employment. They’re able to recommend similar tables to visit. They’ve been great at pointing out resources.”
In total, there were over 350 jobseekers who attended the career fair. The success at Fort Carson reflects an established, worldwide mission. Since 2011, the organization has traveled across the globe to bring hiring events and opportunities to military communities.
According to its website, in 2025 Hiring Our Heroes served 78,757 military community members. That same year HOH’s 2,466 fellows saw an employment offer rate of 85%. By connecting local troops like Newcomb and Valencia with supportive national employers, the summit proved that service members do not have to walk into the civilian workforce alone.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
