Veterans Chamber of Commerce By Joseph Molina www.vccsd.org
Transitioning Military and Veterans Military-Life and Post Military-Life two very different things entirely. Some of us who are out of service, found it difficult to easily adapt to the new civilian way of life. Veterans are used to a military life which have embraced and have been exposed for years. This has become the identity we identify with and in an environment, we understand and feel comfortable. But once we exit the military, we leave behind that of which we have become accustomed to ie the friends; the families; the comradery; the way of life and transition to a new, different and in many ways’ unfamiliar territory (the civilian environment). For many of us this may turn out to be a very big change and for some a very difficult transition. Luckily there are many governmental, non-profit and community organizations that provide support and assistance to transition military and veterans. Even though there are many groups why are we seeing many veterans having problems? So, the question remains; Where is the Disconnect? Why do we still have transitioning veterans across this great land unable to secure jobs or having financial difficulties? No one may have a One-Answer to all of these questions, but the truth is that many groups are engaged in an effort to help and support transitioning military and veterans. In this edition we want to highlight some of the BEST Resources available for Military and Veterans. These are but a short list out of the many currently in place for the benefit of all of our military/veterans. RESOURCES FOR JOBS Jobs for Vets VetAscend (www.vccsd.org/jobs.html) VetAscend has unlimited online tools ready for vets. They are equipped with a “matching” approach for veteran matching applicants with employers. The service is free for veterans and fully supported by employers. In this technology and information age, information is not the issue, we can find almost anything, but this vast amount of information makes it difficult to filter and narrow down the “True” options really available. Vetascend removes those challenges by “Matching” talents with Opportunities. 40
WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / DECEMBER 2019
Veteran Employment Center VEC is a division of the US Department of Veteran affairs. The VEC was established to help vets convert their military occupational code into civilian skills that are required and enough for a good resume to enable the vet to reach out for a career as a civilian. There is a tool known as a military job translator which is been offered by VEC that assists vet to find jobs that are best suited and would require their training, skills, and experience. LinkedIn for Vets LinkedIn is a great tool for inquiring about job openings and also enables you to appear in the search results of other employers on the platform who require your skillset. LinkedIn also offers a free 1-year Job Seeker Premium subscription at $360 and courses to learn at Lynda.com to all U.S. Veterans. Setting up a LinkedIn account is definitely important for those seeking employment. Learning how to use the platform also important, veterans should take an intentional and strategic approach when using the platform. Path2Success (https://path2happisuccess.com/) Path2Succes is another resource that functions to help veterans find jobs and it has a fantastic rate of over 60 veterans served every month. Their services are available for those transitioning and seeking employment. The service brings job coaches who delivered a set of assessments and coaching to help transitioning and veterans find the “Dream-Job”. The service has a small fee to cover the online platform service. Veterans receive deep discounts. Leadership Academy (www.vccsd.org/militaryexecutives.html) CEO/CFO Management Positions that become available in the corporate market are available for those transitioning from the military who have Received the “Leadership Training” preparing them to be “Civilian Leaders”. The Leadership academy works with transitioning military and veterans who have “Leadership” experience while serving.vhe Academy prepares veterans with the Leadership skills from the civilian perspective. The main objective of this program is to offer a “qualification” that will be accepted by civilian organizations.