"They just usually never call me back or, I don't know, they just don't care" McKeen said.
It was tougher since he was homeless.
"Just worrying about where I'm going to stay, where I'm going to eat and getting a job on top of that," he said.
After the story aired, ABC7 received calls from employers who wanted to offer the young veteran a job. ABC7 passed the information along to Swords to Plowshares.
Callers told ABC7 what touched them the most was the last part of the story, where McKeen left the job fair, looking sad and dejected.
"I just felt 'hey, this kid, he seems to be a nice kid, let's give him a chance,'" Todd Duncan said.
Duncan is an electrical contractor and was also at the job fair as a vendor and has offered McKeen an electrician trainee position.
"He'll start out pushing a broom and drilling holes and just learning the trade," Duncan said.
Swords to Plowshares reviewed the job offers and said this one fits McKeen the best. Swords to Plowshares will help McKeen cover the costs of the apprenticeship, including tools and work boots. They are also working to get him housing.
McKeen was overwhelmed and grateful.
"A lot of things are happening at once," McKeen said. "I didn't think anything would progress this quickly or people would work this much to help me out."
Related Link:
Help a veteran find a job through Swords to Plowshares
