Career day helps enlisted make retraining decisions Published Sept. 10, 2007 By Corey Dahl 21st Space Wing Public Affairs PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Force shaping will eventually eliminate Staff Sgt. Nicky Barry's job, but she's not too worried. Why? Because Sergeant Barry, who works as an information manager for NORAD/NORTHCOM, got some extra help finding retraining resources at Team Pete's Enlisted Career Day Sept. 5. Roughly 80 Airmen attended the event, where they visited with representatives from 10 different organizations on base to hear about what different Air Force jobs are like and what kinds of opportunities are available. "Career fairs like this are just really great because what you read about a position doesn't always tell you exactly what it's like," Sergeant Barry said. "I'm looking at retraining, so it's really helpful to have this." Enlisted Career Day was established a few years ago in response to the Air Force's force shaping initiative, which will reduce the Air Force by 40,000 over the next three years to save money for equipment upgrades, said Master Sgt. Mary Lacombe, career assistance advisor for the Team Pete Professional Development Center. In addition to talking to representatives from different fields, Airmen could also find out about the various programs the professional development center organizes, such as Troops to Teachers and leadership workshops. "It's such a time of change for the Air Force," she said. "With the force shaping initiative, people have to find new jobs if they want to stay in the Air Force, so events like this help them see what's out there." Tech. Sgt. Joshua Berger, who represented the 21st Medical Operations Squadron at the event, said the career fair also helps Airmen by putting everything in one place - and, most importantly, a place they're comfortable visiting. "I work in a mental health clinic, and some people just aren't comfortable coming into that kind of environment to talk to me about my job," he said. "This type of format is more comfortable for them, and it's faster. It would take hours walking around to every office on base that's out here today."