Recap of the VetXL Hire A Vet event held March 25, 2021

You’re not alone in taking the next steps to a new career after military service. Nearly 400,000 of you tuned in to our March 25 Veterans Experience Live (VetXL) event to inquire about the many government and private-sector resources available to assist your transition to civilian employment.

Here’s a summary of the online conversation, with links to resources and tips offered by partners during the live event:

Gain private-sector experience. It can be a challenge to show employers that your military training translates to a civilian occupation. One way to build these skills is through an industry-focused internship.

More than 1,300 service members took advantage of internship opportunities available through the Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Fellows program, said Mona Dexter, chief of staff for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which operates the fellowship initiative. Moreover, Dexter said, 80% of internship graduates received job offers.

The 12-week program pairs service members within 180 days of transitioning, military spouses or military caregivers with companies such as Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Prudential and UPS. The firms offer hands-on experience, training and certification opportunities.

Details: For more information on HOH Fellows, visit http://rly.pt/HOHfellowship. If you’re a service member in transition, an appropriate application package for your exit period is available at https://rly.pt/3dV1esk.

Earn pay while you train. HOH Fellows is among the many approved programs of SkillBridge, a skills-training partnership of the U.S. departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs (VA). The program helps service members transition or retire from service into civilian life. One perk of SkillBridge is you can earn your military pay and benefits even as you train for your next career, said Zelda Davis, an Army Veteran who is a VA management analyst and outreach and social media program manager.

“You may be eligible to participate in the SkillBridge program if you have 180 days of service or fewer remaining prior to the date of separation,” she noted, “and you have at least 180 days of active service.”

Details: Other approved internships and training programs are listed at http://rly.pt/DODskillbridge. Inquire about your eligibility with your service’s SkillBridge point of contact, which might be in your installation’s transition, education or support office, according to the frequently asked questions page at http://rly.pt/SkillbridgeFAQ.

Find a mentor. Sometimes, the best post-service career guidance is from a Veteran now working in your desired field. However, locating your ideal mentor is easier said than done.

Enter American Corporate Partners, a national nonprofit that connects you with one-on-one mentoring and networking opportunities across 90 Fortune 500-type firms, said Tim Cochran, a former Marine who is senior vice president of business development at ACP. He cited linkages with mentors at firms as varied as Bank of America, Johnson Controls and Johnson & Johnson.

“ACP has helped nearly 20,000 post-9/11 Veterans find meaningful career paths and fulfilling work after the military,” Cochran said. And, he said, ACP participants’ starting salaries average $82,000.

“The key is that they are there for you the entire year and then some,” Cochran added, “so that you have someone who not only can be a referral for a great job, but is there for you as you acclimate to corporate work.”

You’re eligible if you’re on active duty, served for at least 180 days in the post-9/11 period (or served fewer days because you were injured in service or in training) or are a spouse of a post-9/11 Veteran who is severely wounded.

Details: Learn more and apply to become a protégé or mentor at https://www.acp-usa.org/mentoring-program/program-overview. If you apply as a Veteran, Cochran said, place “RallyPoint” in referral field.

Locate a registered apprenticeship. Others at VetXL suggested developing civilian job-specific skills by taking part in a registered apprenticeship program.

“They are a great way to transition from the military into a long term, meaningful career with a reputable employer who is Veteran friendly,” said Roxann Griffith, regional Veterans employment coordinator for the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service.

And these apprenticeship opportunities go beyond those in construction or manufacturing, Griffith said, citing recently available openings with companies like Fujitsu and Toyota.

“Several employers have registered apprenticeship(s) that are white collar with a potential for a 6-figure income once training is complete,” she added. Another plus of these programs? They mostly accept GI Bill benefits.

Details: Learn more by searching the phrase “registered apprenticeship programs,” locate an opportunity near you at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder and apply at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/career-seekers/service-members-and-veterans.

Access other resources. Don’t miss these other service member- and Veteran-friendly employment tools covered at VetXL:

 Intern at the Postal Service. Recent graduates within two years of receiving a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree can apply for internships and other professional development opportunities leading to careers at the U.S. Postal Service. Details: Learn more at https://about.usps.com/careers/career-opportunities/students-graduates.htm. Also search for open positions at https://wp1-ext.usps.gov/sap/bc/webdynpro/sap/hrrcf_a_unreg_job_search#.

 Look into agricultural loans. If you want to start a business in agriculture or farming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has loan programs that prioritize Veterans and other groups. Details: https://www.usda.gov/topics/farming/resources-small-and-mid-sized-farmers.

 Place your job listing on RallyPoint. As you look to harness the talents of transitioning service members and job seeking Veterans, use our free job board to get the word out to tens of thousands of potentially qualified candidates. Details: Post open positions at http://rly.pt/FreeJobBoard.

 Search for employment opportunities nationwide. Find employment assistance at the nearest American Job Center (i.e., workforce center) by clicking your state at http://www.veterans.gov. Locate VA careers near you at https://www.vacareers.va.gov/#locations. Details: Discover more opportunities at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets, https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Careers/TransitioningMilitary and https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Careers/Veterans.

Learn more

Check out the full session: “VetXL: Hire a Vet – live Q&A with VA and community partners" here: https://rly.pt/3elHqAo