From Service to Success: How the Illinois Tollway Connects Veterans with New Career Paths
2025-11-07
At the Illinois Tollway, honoring veterans goes beyond saying, “Thank you for your service.” It’s about creating real opportunities.
Every year, the Tollway’s Talent Acquisition team hits the road to meet veterans and transitioning service members where they are – incommunities and at job fairs throughout Northern Illinois.
“We participate in about 10 to 12 events a year that are focused specifically on veterans,” said Tollway Talent Acquisition Manager Micquelyn Randall. “Our goal is to cast a wide net and help veterans see how their service and skills translate to the work we do.”
Tollway job recruiters make veteran outreach a year-round effort, partnering with organizations such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Volunteers of America Illinois and Hope Manor, a supportive housing program for veterans.
Recent stops included the Living Word Christian Center’s Veteran Ministry Career and Resource Fair in Forest Park, the Chicago Military Academy Fall STEM and Career Fair and the Veterans Job Club event at Hope Manor in Joliet.
Next up: the Illinois Veterans Benefits and Resource Fair in Chicago, the Illinois Army National Guard Military and Veteran Career Fair in Crestwood, the McHenry County Workforce Network Job Fair in Woodstock and Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair in Joliet.
“Through partnerships with Veterans Affairs and Hope Manor, we’ve built pipelines that connect veterans directly to our job openings,” explained Tollway Recruiter Alex Gomez. “They send us candidates and we make sure they understand the process and see what opportunities fit their background.”
Many veterans don’t realize just how well their military training aligns with Tollway careers in telecommunications, IT, HR, engineering, welding. Someone who managed communications in the military might be a perfect fit for the Traffic Operations Center, said Gomez.
Other veterans can transition seamlessly into safety and security roles, including positions within the Office of the Inspector General, while some find new paths in customer service or administrative roles. Earlier this year, the Tollway even hosted a veteran intern in its Facilities and Fleet Department, helping him apply his engineering studies in a hands-on environment.
The Tollway’s message to veterans is simple: Your military experiences matter here.
The agency’s hiring team works hard to make job descriptions clear and veteran-friendly, emphasizing transferable skills rather than titles.
And whether through a career fair or a direct referral, veterans and veteran-support organizations are always welcome to reach out for help navigating opportunities.
“If you’re a veteran interested in a Tollway career – or part of an organization that supports veterans – we want to hear from you,” said Tollway Pipeline Partnership Administrator Jyoti Rao.
Visit the Careers page to explore openings or email employment@getipass.com to connect with the Talent Acquisition team.