Veterans Job Fair Coming to Farmington Elks Lodge April 9

Four Corners veterans can walk into the Farmington Elks Lodge at 801 Municipal Drive on Monday, April 9, hand a resume directly to hiring managers from health care, construction, security, and government sectors, and leave with employment leads, all at no cost and no prior military service required to attend.

The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and the American Legion are co-hosting the 11th annual Heroes Hiring Heroes series, which runs every Wednesday in April at locations statewide. The Farmington stop, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is the second of five events in the series. ECHO Inc., a Four Corners social services organization, will be on-site alongside employer booths and workforce planning staff. Employers participating must have open positions to qualify for a booth, and organizers encourage attendees to be ready for on-the-spot conversations.

Department of Workforce Solutions Secretary Sarita Nair framed the stakes plainly: "Veterans have the skill sets that businesses tell us are the most important, like leadership, adaptability, and strong work ethic. The Heroes Hiring Heroes events create a direct pathway to connect those strengths with employers who are ready to hire and invest in our workforce."

The series is open to veterans, transitioning service members, military families, and the general public, with organizers providing resume assistance and individualized employment planning on-site. Brent Jones, a U.S. Army veteran who served from 2008 to 2014, attended the Las Cruces kickoff on April 1 and made multiple employer contacts. His takeaway for anyone on the fence about showing up: "Outreach is the most important thing."

San Juan County's unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent as of August 2025, and the region's ongoing energy-sector transitions have displaced workers who hold the same technical and logistics backgrounds common in the veteran community. The Heroes Hiring Heroes format puts those workers directly in front of employers who already understand the value of military experience.

To attend, bring a current resume and any documentation of military service or relevant credentials. Pre-registration is available through the state's employment portal at employnm.com. The Farmington event is free; employers and job seekers alike pay nothing to participate.

The series continues April 15 in Alamogordo at Tayes Center, April 22 in Roswell at American Legion Post 28, and wraps April 29 in Albuquerque at American Legion Post 13.