Disney kicks off career expos for returning vets
Disney kicks off career expos for returning veterans; company has hired 250 of 1,000-hire goal
Disney Company CEO Robert Iger, right, listens as actor, motivational speaker, former U.S. Army soldier and "Dancing With The Stars" champion J.R. Martinez, wounded in Iraq in 2003, speaks at a job fair for U.S. military veterans at Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif., Tuesday, May 22, 2012. The Walt Disney Co. kicked off a series of career expos Tuesday aimed at helping returning veterans make the transition to civilian life. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
·Associated PressBURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. kicked off a series of career expos Tuesday aimed at helping returning veterans make the transition to civilian life.
Even before the launch, Disney said it has hired about 250 of the 1,000 veterans it aims to hire over the next three years.
The events run through Thursday at Disney's headquarters in Burbank, Calif., as well as in New York and Orlando, Fla. About 1,000 veterans are expected to attend.
Disney is looking to hire some veterans and help others make contacts and brush up on interviewing and resume-writing skills.
"As a new generation of America's military men and women complete their service and transition into civilian life, we saw the opportunity to increase our commitment," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in prepared remarks. "It's a measure of our respect for how much they have sacrificed on our behalf."
Since Disney launched its "Heroes Work Here" initiative in March, it has hired about 250 veterans throughout the company, including at its movie studio, theme parks, ESPN and consumer products units.
