Gov. Jared Polis has declared November “hire a veteran first” month, announcing a list of more than 40 virtual seminars, networking events and career fairs throughout the month.

“Veterans often bring a sense of leadership, forged through the challenges and demands they faced in military service,” Polis said in his proclamation, adding that veterans also “bring a good mindset, a positive attitude, team spirit and other personal attributes that businesses are seeking.”

Veterans also possess “a sense of leadership that has been forged through the challenges and demands they faced in military service, and they have the ability to adapt and learn quickly,” echoed Department of Labor and Employment Executive Director Joe Barela in a press release from the state.

“Our best employers will tell you they have made a real investment in their business with each veteran they hire.”

Events hosted in conjunction with the state during the month will include the USAA Community & Veterans Job Fair, a virtual event to be held Wednesday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The fair will allow participants to chat with representatives of 80 hiring companies, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Ace Hardware, Pikes Peak Community College and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. To register for the event, open to all job seekers, visit www.connectingcolorado.com; to view a list of participating companies, visit www.ppwfc.org/usaa-job-fair.

The list also includes a virtual networking event for veterans and spouses featuring representatives of employers like Lockheed Martin, Allied Universal, Xcel Energy, Wells Fargo, Amazon and others. The event, sponsored by Arapahoe-Douglas Works! Workforce Center and the state labor department, will take place via Zoom on Nov. 17 from 9:30 a.m.-noon. To register, visit https://bit.lv/adw-Vets.

Other events include virtual workshops on emotional intelligence, resume writing, the use of LinkedIn and overviews of careers in construction, technology and healthcare. For a full list of events, view the calendar at hireacoloradovet.gov.

Colorado is home to 43,700 active-duty troops and more than 400,000 veterans, according to the governor’s office.