By Kimberly Pierceall

Staff writer

Hampton Roads has long been in a unique position. Its economy remains largely dependent on the massive military presence within its geographic borders – some might say too dependent.

So, one would think that would put private businesses here in a good spot to hire those exiting the military. These are prospective employees with a distinct skill set, after all, and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council was told there are 8,000 people transitioning out of the military here every year.

But, until now, there has been little coordination to connect employers and these job seekers outside of job fairs.

The Veterans Career Compass, an online job site reserved for job-seeking veterans, aims to bridge the hiring gap.

As of Feb. 1 at www.hrvetswork.org, veterans can upload their military transcript which will be automatically reconfigured into a résumé that employers can search and see. The site is free for employers posting jobs and veterans looking for them.

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation donated $500,000 to make the site happen. It is overseen by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development. The two organizations have recently combined their boards into the Southeastern Virginia Workforce Regional Collaborative.

Kimberly Pierceall, 757-446-2588, kimberly.pierceall@pilotonline.com