The Christie administration has launched “Operation Hire a Jersey Hero,” a program that’s focused on promoting job opportunities for veterans by connecting employers with state resources to support the hiring of veterans.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno
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During an Operation Hire a Jersey Hero Symposium at the Prudential headquarters in Newark, Lut. Governor Kim Guadagno said this is a pilot program “that teaches people in other companies how to find the right veteran, how to hire that veteran, how to train that veteran, and how to ultimately put that veteran to work in their particular business… in New Jersey we have 22 thousand veterans coming back from service – we have 460 thousand veterans who have lived in New Jersey at one time or another – the 22 thousand now we have are unemployed…and that’s unacceptable – they’ve gone overseas, they’ve served their country in uniform – they’re coming back now – we have a moral obligation to make sure they a career path here in New Jersey – so they can stay here.”

She says it’s not surprising that many companies want to hire veterans, because “look at the training they’ve gotten – they’ve had basic training where they learn discipline, they learn teamwork, they learn loyalty, they learn dependability – that’s just the basic training… they have all of that internalized loyalty, dependability – work-set, skill-set, team player – that they’re now going to bring back and give to an employer.”

Guadagno adds “I’m all in as Lut. Governor because we have such a large number of unemployed veterans, but also my son – my first born – is in the United States Air Force – so I’m all in as a mother too…I’m very, very proud that he went to school in New Jersey and saw the benefit of serving his country, and after a couple of years I hope he comes back to New Jersey.”

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