KEEPing Talent in MHK

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce will once again proudly host the Kansas Employment Exploration Program (KEEP) Tour, welcoming transitioning service members and their families from Fort Riley. This event, scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday) has become a vital tool in showcasing what our community has to offer—not just in jobs, but in quality of life.

As one of the nation’s largest Army installations, Fort Riley sees hundreds of soldiers transition out of service each year. While many of these individuals return to hometowns across the country, a growing number are choosing to remain in Kansas—or are open to doing so, given the right opportunity.

The KEEP Tour is not a traditional job fair. Instead, it’s a full-day immersion into what makes Manhattan a great place to live, work, and play. Participants visit major employers, learn about educational opportunities, tour local facilities, meet with business leaders, and engage in direct conversations about career pathways.

For many soldiers, this is the first time they’ve seen Manhattan outside the lens of a duty station. It’s a chance to view our community as future residents—where they might buy a home, enroll their kids in school, and build their post-military careers.

Attendees will kick off the day at the Chamber before visiting Kansas State University and Manhattan Technical College. From there, participants will take part in a series of site visits, employer briefings, and quality of life panels to foster connections and conversations.

The day will wrap up with a relaxed networking social at Manhattan Brewing Company at 3:30 p.m., offering service members the opportunity to engage one-on-one with area employers, share their résumés, and learn more about available positions and hiring processes. If you are a business interested in attending, there is still time to register.

KEEP Tours align perfectly with our region’s workforce development goals. Transitioning service members bring unmatched skills—leadership, discipline, problem-solving—and are often looking for stable careers and a welcoming place to call home. By showing them the depth of opportunity in Manhattan, we increase our chances of retaining top talent in the Flint Hills region.

We are proud to be a partner in this effort and grateful to the employers and volunteers who help make these tours meaningful. If your business would like to be part of a future KEEP Tour or get involved in military workforce initiatives, contact the Chamber office for more information.