CareerSource Southwest Florida will participate in the state’s 10th annual Paychecks for Patriots, a special hiring fair dedicated to employing veterans.

Most statewide events were held in conjunction with Veterans Day however, due to the impact of Hurricane Ian, the CareerSource Southwest Florida event was rescheduled for Thursday, Dec. 1, at Next Level Church, 12400 Plantation Road in Fort Myers.

Event hours will be 10 a.m.-11 a.m. (This first hour is reserved for veterans and family only) and from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m to the general public.)

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Florida National Guard, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and participating Florida employers are partnering with CareerSource Florida regions to connect veterans with available careers in their community.

To address the employment needs of service members and veterans across the state, the annual Paychecks for Patriots event works to bring employers with current employment opportunities in Florida to the table with great military and veteran candidates.

Through Paychecks for Patriots, businesses will be connected with talented, well-trained veterans to join their team. In the past nine years, more than 8,000 veteran candidates and military family members who participated in Paychecks for Patriots across the state have gained employment.

“Veterans and their families bring dedication, a special set of skills and diversity to Florida’s workforce,” a release states. “CareerSource Southwest Florida will aim to match veterans with employers who value the knowledge, skills, and attributes attained during military service.”

A list of employers attending the event will be available on www.careersourceSWFL.com.