If laid-off federal workers or others need to find a new job, they can look to virginiahasjobs.com, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday afternoon in southern Stafford County.
Youngkin came to town to tout the job site during an event at the high-tech defense contractor SimVentions Inc.
The site lists more than 250,000 available positions, which, according to Youngkin, can be filled by the next worker who hears the second-most powerful words in the English language.
The most powerful words are “I love you,” he said. But the second-most powerful ones are “You are hired.”
“What powerful words,” the governor said. “They express so much: ‘I value you, and therefore want you to be part of our team.’”
Youngkin acknowledged the Trump administration’s recent moves to shrink the size of the federal government without specifically criticizing them. He characterized the president’s actions are “necessary” with the U.S. government having accumulated $37.5 trillion of debt and counting.
“It can’t continue,” he said. “We have to restore fiscal responsibility back to Washington. And the reality is, that process is by definition disruptive.”
Youngkin also related a personal story of economic reality, describing his father’s work history.
“I know a little bit about this issue,” he said. “When I was growing up, my father lost his job twice. It’s tough on families.”
Youngkin said he empathizes with Virginians facing financial challenges, though he said less than 1,000 former federal employees have filed for unemployment so far.
“But I expect that there will be more,” he said. “And more. And so how do we meet these people who need help? We meet them with opportunity. And that’s why virginiahasjobs.com is so important.”
Youngkin said he’s visited the website himself to look at its resources. He also read a list of local businesses that are hiring, including Germanna Community College, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Mary Washington Healthcare, Shore United Banking, the University of Mary Washington and Virginia Credit Union.
Several business leaders spoke at Friday’s event, as well.
One of them was Susan Spears, President and CEO of the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. Spears said that “time and again” the local business community and companies in the Old Dominion “have defeated adversity.”
“This is because we prepare for challenges,” she said. “We seek solutions, and we emerge brighter and more determined than before. This is one of those times.”
Spears also said that job seekers can use virginiahasjobs.com to find jobs located in the Fredericksburg area and to sign up for a hiring event on April 8.
SimVentions President Joe Caliri said his company, which is hiring, has found success because of its employees.
“I love working in Virginia,” said Caliri, who’s also chairman of the Fredericksburg Regional Military Affairs Council’s board of directors. “I love especially working for this company. I’m asked very often what’s our secret sauce? ‘You know, you guys win contracts, you’re voted the best place to work in Virginia, you know, you do so much in the community,’ and I’ll be honest with you: It’s the type of people that we have in our company.”
State Sen. Tara Durant (R-Stafford) also said after the event that Fredericksburg-area residents are making their way through the federal-firing situation together, noting that her husband is a federal worker.
“Considering this region has been so vibrant and we’ve been growing so fast … you know, hopefully we will land better than maybe some other parts” of the country, she said.
