03/01/2013
From Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots (and other career services for new veterans)
By Jennifer Kim
The military services have several programs in place to assist Vietnam-era veterans as well as those retiring from a long military career. In recent years, many government, non-profit and for-profit organizations have started specialized programs to help veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Many of these veterans are not military careerists, but are returning to civilian life after honorably fulfilling their service obligation. Most programs have a special emphasis on assisting veterans with service-related mental or physical disabilities. Here are a few of those resources:
The AbilityOne Program
www.abilityone.org/work_with_us/people.html
Federal initiative to help people who are blind or have other severe disabilities find employment by working for nonprofit agencies that sell products/services to the U.S. government
American Corporate Partners (ACP)
www.acp-usa.org
Free nationwide, in-person or e-mentoring, career counseling and networking with professionals for long-term career development for veterans
America's Heroes at Work
https://www.dol.gov/vets/ahaw/
US Department of Labor project, designed for employers and workforce development systems, addresses employment challenges with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
C.O.D.E. – Call of Duty Endowment
Helps veterans find careers and supports organizations that provide job training and placement
Combat Boots to Cowboy Boots
http://ncta.unl.edu/web/ncta/combatcowboyboots
University of Nebraska job training and career placement program for military veterans interested in becoming farm or ranch owners, offered on-campus and distance education
The Farmer-Veteran Coalition
Helps returning veterans find employment/training and works to improve job opportunities and veteran services in rural communities
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) http://whitman.syr.edu/ebv/
Hands-on training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans with service-related disabilities, offered through Syracuse University, UCLA, Florida State, Texas A&M, Purdue University and University of Connecticut
G.I. Jobs
Guide to post-military success with many career and education resources
Helmets to Hardhats
Places veterans into building and construction careers through trade apprenticeship programs and offers specific resources for disabled veterans
Hire Heroes USA’s (HHUSA)
Transition assistance, job search/placement services particularly for veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, with specific resources for wounded or disabled veterans
Job Corps
www.recruiting.jobcorps.gov/en/vets.aspx
US Department of Labor program offering free job training and post-training assistance services with priority enrollment for veterans (and three locations that offer dorm areas exclusively for veterans)
The Mission Continues
Provides opportunities for veterans to serve as citizen leaders
National Resource Directory
www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov
Provides access to veteran services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration
Operation RE/MAX
Provides listing of RE/MAX offices that have made a commitment to hire and mentor military spouses, veterans and transitioning personnel
Return to Work
Offers vocational rehabilitation and employment services: evaluation, training, placement, service learning and supported employment
The Veterans Corporation
Provides veterans and service-disabled veterans with access to the tools required to become successful in business
Veteran’s Transition Franchise Initiative
Franchise opportunities portal operated by the International Franchise Association, offering specific discounts to veterans
NCDA Military Interest Areas
Career development professionals may use this listing (one of 8 specialty areas offered) to gain inspiration and information when working with military clients.
These are just a few of the many helmet-to-hardhat resources and we are looking for more! If you have veteran career resources to share or if you work in a program serving new veterans, please submit an article to Career Convergence.
Jennifer Kim, NCC, lives in Chicago and serves as an Education Services Specialist (ESS) for the Department of Defense, where she oversees the administration of the ASVAB Career Exploration Program www.asvabprogram.com in the western half of the US. She can be reached at Jennifer.kim@mepcom.army.mil
Roger Young on Wednesday 11/03/2010 at 09:28 AM
These are good resources. I will mention one more that could be of interest to Veterans. That is an organization called Veteran's Green Jobs. It is a newer (founded in 2008) Denver, Colo.-based national nonprofit organization that provides green jobs education, transition support, and career and enterprise development opportunities for military veterans.