Hiring Our Heroes summit at SVA’s 17th National Conference illuminates ways student veterans can bridge the gap between military service and rewarding careers.
In a Hiring Our Heroes summit sponsored by LinkedIn Jan. 2, student veterans, employers and advocates examined a fluid employment scene for those who have served in uniform, including the rise of artificial intelligence, the need for a better DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP), the untapped value of internships and apprenticeships, the need to network and, generally, the route to avert a problem most newly discharged veterans face: under-employment.
“Rethink transition” was the heading of one slide in a presentation by Eric Eversole, who heads the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes program, which has conducted hundreds of American Legion-supported career fairs for the military community for over a decade.
“Transition is not a point-in-time or linear process, but it’s one that evolves over time as you take on your career journeys to find out what are the things that interest you, what are the things that will be most meaningful for you,” Eversole told a standing-room-only crowd at the Broadmoor Hotel Resort Convention Center. “The very real challenge that we have right now is that most of our transition programs are based on a single point in time – TAP, that five-day garden hose – it’s more like a firehose – of information that is supposed to magically solve all of your employment problems.”
The pre-separation program “is jammed into that five days. And then after that, what happens? You’re on your own.”
The American Legion has no fewer than three national resolutions on the books calling for improved and expanded TAP training for those about to separate from service and greater DoD accountability for outcomes.
“It doesn’t work,” Eversole said. “I think we are at a critical inflection point, quite candidly, in how we look at transition. We need to start thinking about transition not as this check-the-box exercise but one that is integrated from day one of service.”
He brought up key data points from recent surveys:
- Sixty percent of transitioning servicemembers make less in their first post-military job than what they made in the military.
- Sixty-one percent of veterans feel under-employed three years after they leave service. “It does drop to 59% after six and a half years,” said Eversole, a retired Navy captain.
- Sixty percent of servicemembers say that they are not using their skills in their current jobs.
- Veterans are half as likely to become a vice presidents or directors in companies than their non-veteran counterparts.
“We’re failing half of our servicemembers,” Eversole said. “I think there’s a lot here that we can do to improve the situation. But I do think we need to step back and think about transition programs that we are currently utilizing and how we evolve them.”
He explained that “results matter. We have to start tracking data on this. RAND issued a study this past summer that said, overall, in transition programs, we’re spending $13 billion annually, and we have virtually nothing to show for it.”
Earlier preparation for transition into the civilian world is essential to correcting the problem, he said. “We have to start to have a culture where military service is a pathway to better economic opportunity for Americans. And I’m not sure right now we can say that.”
He said that internship/apprenticeship opportunities – such as those advanced through the DoD SkillBridge program, which serves about 3,000 servicemembers a year – can close the gap, noting that the average salary for SkillBridge participants is over $115,000, and retention is over 90%. “If you think about how most college kids in America get a job, it’s internships. Traditional students are six times more likely to have internships (than students in the military).”
The summit featured thoughts from employment recruiters from Lowes, Johnson & Johnson and the City of Colorado Springs, a municipality that is home to five military installations, 45,000 active-duty servicemembers, more than 90,000 veterans and a total of some 900,000 who are military-connected, when families are added in.
Sallie Clark, senior adviser in government and military engagement for the mayor of Colorado Springs, added that 20% of local city employees are veterans. She told student veterans that when they are looking to transition, they should look closely at military-friendly communities like Colorado Springs and states like Colorado.
“When you look at a city or a county, the areas that probably come to mind most frequently are law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services … but don’t forget that the planning department that needs those who are good at data; think about I.T. We’re always looking for folks who have I.T. experience. Make sure you don’t forget to look at those jobs that you may not think you can translate into what you can do for a local community. Cities and counties like to hire veterans, and we like to hire those who are transitioning out because we know a lot of their skill set can translate.”
She encouraged the student veterans to look closely at their resumes “to make sure that they are understandable. Translate your skill set, not necessarily just your title.”
Chambers of commerce, city and county human resources departments and nonprofits offer opportunities for veterans and those in transition, she said. “It’s just really important to note that we support you here in our region, but many other communities nationwide support military veterans and those transitioning into civilian life.
“So, wherever your career takes you, look for communities that support military veterans and spouses. Look for communities that have preferences for veterans and those who have been in the military. Think about the federal government. Think about the state government. Think about your local governments, and also think about all the many jobs that exist that may not be direct to the military.”
One panel discussion addressed employment pipelines transitioning servicemembers can tap into, including campus veteran recruiting programs by companies like Lowes, which has built a strong internship program and “processes for our campus recruiters and military recruiters” that includes direct connections with student veterans, retail immersion programs for underclassmen and starting a pipeline that grows as the student nears completion, Lowes representative Mike Piper explained.
Johnson & Johnson representative Crystal Cochran, moderator of the panel discussion, said her company’s recruiters also have on their checklist to engage with student veterans groups on campus to help potential employees enter the pipeline early.
Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, an American Legion member and Hiring Our Heroes brand ambassador, joined Under Secretary of the Department of Labor James Rodriguez in a presentation about the importance of personal networking for veterans looking for careers.
“Networking is a full-time job,” Rodriguez said. “Continuation of conversations – when you don’t need something from someone – that’s the most important thing you can do … People that are part of this community – those are the connections that you have to massage continuously, but the most important time is when you don’t need something. Making that friendship, that relationship, just like you do in the military … you should be checking in.”
“Your network drives your net worth,” Murphy added. “Human interaction is important … Let’s be honest. We’re family.”
“The reality is that America still has more open jobs than workers to fill those jobs,” Eversole said during the summit. “There’s going to be a lot of increased opportunities for veterans, military spouses and for student veterans.”
As the summit progressed, Scott Blackburn, a member of SVA’s board of directors, paused for a moment to acknowledge the attendees. “How inspiring it is that we have a packed house on Jan. 2? This is exactly why every corporation in America should be looking to hire student veterans. The dedication, for you guys to come out to Colorado for this, is awesome.”
- Careers