The Chamber of Catawba County’s Post

VETS prepares America's veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses for meaningful careers. About VETS Our Vision To enable all veterans, service members, and military spouses to reach their full potential in the workplace. Our Mission We prepare America's veterans, service members, and military spouses for meaningful careers, provide them with employment resources and expertise, protect their employment rights, and promote their employment opportunities. Our Values Integrity, Commitment, Respect, Excellence and Innovation. Our Priorities Getting the military to civilian employment transition right.  Leveraging partnerships to maximize employment outcomes. Promoting and advancing equity, inclusion and accessibility for underserved communities. https://lnkd.in/gMqHrzYj

For our NIP members preparing to transition from Active Duty, please take note that the DoD SkillBridge Program has recently changed. A few key takeaways: - Program Overhaul: The Defense Department has revamped the SkillBridge program to improve job placement for transitioning service members. - Focus on Employment: New changes emphasize immediate employment, connecting troops directly with civilian training and job opportunities. - Streamlined Access: The updates address past accessibility issues, making it easier for service members to participate. - Enhanced Transition: The goal is to ensure smoother transitions from military to civilian careers, providing valuable skills and job security. https://lnkd.in/dP3wRrRR

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with a TSM (transitioning Service Member). I asked him if he was interested in DOD Skill Bridge or a Career skills program to prepare for his transition. He replied with " No thank you I am going to X state". I was confused because I did not understand how a state restricts a TSM from doing a CSP or SB while in service. I did not have time to follow up as I had other TSM that were prepared and knowledgeable of the opportunities for them so I breezed past the response and thanked him for his time. My takeaway? Some TSM do not understand what they have available as opportunities as a CSP or SB. So as a former NCO instead of complaining I am going to provide MY VIEW on these programs and hope that my network shares with other TSM so that they know what they have available to them. DOD Skillbridge: Its essentially a military internship with a specific company in hopes of receiving a job offer after the internship. Not all SB have job offers tied to them and some are just training. However, you can sign up for an SB by contacting the company directly or a better way would be to search on a DOD SkillBridge job board. I do not recommend the official DOD SB board as I found many contacts are out of date so instead I recommend looking up Hire Military and Vets2pm SB job board respectively as they both actively manage their SB programs. Hire Military Job Board: https://lnkd.in/giTdP2hp Vets2pm Skillbridge interest: https://lnkd.in/gbxiVGB3 Job Board: https://lnkd.in/ghVdsaSZ Many of the SB opportunities offer remote positions to facilitate employment as post covid we now understand you can do an office job from home. This means you can apply and attend a SB in another location while staying at your current duty station and move afterward. SB and CSP opportunities are not locked by a regional location and the goals of these programs are to help reduce veteran unemployment and support our TSM in their discharge process. For TSM pending a general discharge you are also still able to take advantage of state workforce innovation programs at your discharged duty station or at your home state through several grants. Contact your local workforce board to find out more.

‼️ “The Commander’s Dilemma ‼️ The military’s insufficient emphasis on transition is manifested in its most crucial form among commanders, or those individuals tasked with leading military operations, organizations, and personnel. ❇️ In short, supporting transition conflicts with these commanders’ primary and most essential responsibility—maintaining mission readiness. ❇️ When service members are valuable contributors to their units, the need to keep them on duty can seem of greater importance to a commander than the service member’s post-military future. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ One example of this dilemma relates to service members’ participation in a Department of Defense (DoD) program such as SkillBridge, which provides participants with work experience through job training, internships, or apprenticeships. … Some service members report that commanders deny SkillBridge requests because of the importance of maintaining mission readiness, although data documenting reasons for such denials has not been systematically collected. A recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO)27 found that service members face similar barriers when seeking access to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which may explain why so few complete this required program on time.” ⁉️See comments for solutions from the VJC

🚀 Reminder: Upcoming OBTT Class Schedule! 🚀 Attention all! 📣 Today, we have an exciting OBTT (Off Base Transition Training) class focusing on the process of obtaining a Federal job. 🏛️ If you're aiming to land a federal position in the future, this is the perfect opportunity to get insightful tips and guidance from Stephanie Martin, MdE If you're uncertain about the benefits of professional development classes, send Christopher Porras a message. He can provide firsthand insight into how these courses have aided him in transitioning from military service. If a federal job isn't in your plans, don't worry! RCTAA/Reserve Component Transition Assistance Advisors Program has a variety of other classes lined up, including: 📝 Creating Your Resume 🤝 Networking Strategies 📈 Building Up to Your Next Job These classes are structured as small, intimate sessions that encourage comfortable question-asking and active participation in discussions. They offer an experience akin to one-on-one interaction while also providing the advantage of gaining insights from other participants. Join us and take the next step in your career journey. It's truly a Win/Win from every perspective! 🌟 🔗 Link to Register-with different classes just added! https://lnkd.in/gJ7imdE4 You know I will be there asking questions🙋♀️ Looking forward to seeing you there, don't forget your 📄 for all of your notes! #CareerDevelopment #JobSearch #FederalJobs #Networking #ResumeTips #OBTT #ProfessionalGrowth #RCTAA

I wasn’t aware of the new changes to SkillBridge. Please share with service members. Here are the key points: - Program Overhaul: The Defense Department has revamped the SkillBridge program to improve job placement for transitioning service members. - Focus on Employment: New changes emphasize immediate employment, connecting troops directly with civilian training and job opportunities. - Streamlined Access: The updates address past accessibility issues, making it easier for service members to participate. - Enhanced Transition: The goal is to ensure smoother transitions from military to civilian careers, providing valuable skills and job security.

Have you explored the latest LinkedIn Veteran Opportunity Report? This comprehensive study sheds light on the obstacles facing veterans in the civilian workforce and challenges misconceptions that significantly impact the community. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gTMmQ7A #hrmilitary #transitioningmilitary

IIPAC is a proud supporter of Helmets to Hardhats. A transitioning program for US military veterans to move directly into the ironworking field. Why prioritize transitioning veterans for apprenticeships in ironworking? Skill and Reliability: Veterans bring a wealth of skills and a track record of reliability. They are equipped with diverse expertise, drug free expectations, and leadership capabilities. Addressing Unemployment Challenges: Government unemployment costs are notably higher among veterans, particularly in the 22-26 age groups. Integrating them into apprenticeship programs helps reduce these costs and offers them stable career pathways. Maximizing Military Training: There's significant value in harnessing military training within apprenticeship programs. Former armed forces members deserve opportunities to excel in civilian professions. At IIPAC, we're dedicated to empowering veterans and utilizing their talents for success in construction. Join us as we build a brighter future together! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gmXQq38M #VeteransInConstruction #MilitaryTransition #IIPAC

The summer internship with a financial institution of his choice has given wings to Jacob’s aspirations. He feels as if his career graph is on the runway to success, all set to take off just the way he wanted it to be. Many students like Jacob take a job in the summer after school lets out. If it’s your first job it gives you a chance to learn about the working world. That includes taxes we pay to support the place where we live, our state and our nation. Here are eight things that students who take a summer job should know about taxes: bit.ly/azmg023 Azmoneyguy.com. #azmoneyguy #roberthockensmith #taxtips #52pickup #52pickuptax #efile #filetaxes #52waystooutsmarttheirs

Are you considering leaving the military? Here's a brief overview of assistance available to help transitioning service members and families. #veteran #activeduty #dfw #military https://lnkd.in/ghFJsiv4