Over 1,000 ex-servicemen participate in job fair

BANGALORE: About 1,000 ex-servicemen on Sunday were given a chance to consider various jobs on offer by 65 companies at the Manekshaw Parade Grounds in the city.Part of the Karnataka and Kerala Sub Areas initiatives, the ‘job fair’ was formally inaugurated by General Officer Commanding (GOC), Head Quarters, Karnataka and Kerala (K&K) Sub-Area, Maj General K S Venugopal.“It is time for the society to pay these soldiers back for having stood guard while they slept.We expect industry to come forward and provide jobs.It will be a win win situation,” Venugopal said.He also requested the help of Industry associations like Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Industry and Commerce (FKCCI) and Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in order to place exservicemen.Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, Venugopal stated that the ‘job fair’ idea would be implemented in Kerala and would become a regular feature being held once in six months.“There are a large number of corporate jobs which are not being tapped.We will launch a website in the next three months which will collate all jobs available for ex-servicemen and help in networking with employers,” he said.Venugopal also said that army staff was given adequate resettlement training before being discharged.“While officers get study leave to enhance their skills, junior ranks are given training for 6-12 months before retirement,” he said adding that a Junior rank army man would retire around the age of 38 which was well within the asking age of 45 for most corporates.“The challenge however is to contact employers in small towns, most lower ranks would want to stay near their villages instead of working in the city,” he said.The army is working on tracking down various industry associations and bodies working in non urban areas and contacting them in the coming six months.There are also plans to hold a job fair along with every pension related rally which is a regular feature in the army.According to updates, around 2,435 job positions were made available for the ex-servicemen out of which 435 jobs were confirmed at the venue and 600 more were to be dispatched by post.Nine Widows, 12 Sons and nine daughters of the exservicemen also participated in the job fair according to a statement by the Army.