Whether you are retiring or ETSing, the transition from military to civilian can be a challenging time. A key component of navigating the switch is preparation, both personally and professionally. Fortunately, there are many tremendous programs available, all offering opportunities to make the move smoother.
The Best Military Transition Programs You Don't Know About
Boots2Business. Offered through a partnership between the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University and the Small Business Administration, you should come across Boots2Business during your transition briefings. What you might miss during TAP/TAMP is the information you are provided is only the first of three phases offered to transitioning service members who plan to own their own business. If entrepreneurship is even a possible goal after you hang up the uniform, the Boots2Business “mini MBA” offered online after attending two briefs during TAP/TAMP is the perfect way to test the viability of your idea.
Military.com Transition Center. The Military.com and Monster Veteran Employment Center includes an awesome skills translator to help veterans figure out where their skills can fit in the civilian world. Packed with job hunt help, transition tips and even step-by-step plans for what to do during each stage of the transition process.
Veteran’s Career Transition Program. The IVMF also offers the Veteran’s Career Transition Program (VCTP) at no cost to post-9/11 veterans thanks to a grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. Designed to provide independent study and online certification opportunities to veterans to assist in finding employment, the program is available to service members and their spouses who are within 18 months of their ETS date or have already separated. When you register, you are assigned an advisor to assist you in making the most of the resource.
Hire Heroes USA. If are looking for assistance in identifying your options as you transition out of military service, Hire Heroes USA may be just the resource you need. Available to any honorably discharged veteran, registering with Hire Heroes USA opens access to a Veteran Transition Specialist who can assist you in retargeting your resume and considering new career options. They also have an internal job board available to search featuring companies looking to hire veterans. Perhaps most appealing, you can register online, over the phone or at an in-person workshop, offering a variety of options that work around your current schedule.
Veteran Insider. A new effort, Veteran Insider, seeks to offers an avenue to connect veterans and employers. Founder Brian Rucker, a veteran himself, found that the current transition assistance offered by the Department of Defense reflects outdated job search techniques. With particular expertise in the tech industry, VeteranInsider.com helps service members identify job opportunities, craft their resume, and search for jobs at no cost to the veteran.
Even if the end of your family’s military service is in the far distant future, start bookmarking and researching transition resources today in preparation. Keeping a running list now will make for an easier military to civilian move later.
