When the idea for VetsWork was born at the Mt. Adams Institute, it was more than just about helping U.S. military veterans get civilian jobs; although that’s what it does. It became a mission to support a fluid transition from the military culture and experience to the civilian workforce culture. We know there is tremendous momentum behind the national initiative to hire veterans. We know there is a lot of good will out there for our returning heroes. What we heard, though, is that it isn’t as easy as it might sound.
Sometimes getting a foot in the door (especially in public lands or natural resources management agencies was extremely difficult. Sometimes, we heard, there was a breakdown in communication directly related to the transition from military expectations to civilian workplace expectations. Employers didn’t understand the military experience and veterans were employing the strategies they had so effectively mastered in a very different environment. Veterans bring tremendous skill sets to the job site. That’s not the problem. Research and experience are identifying the transition as the biggest barrier. VetsWork was designed to support this transition and address some of the other complications of the job market.
VetsWork in partnership with AmeriCorps offers an 11-month internship with federal, state, and local public lands/natural resource management agencies. These agencies want to support our veterans with jobs. This program provides on the job training, specific training for veterans and agency staff related to the cultural transition from military to civilian employment, medical insurance, a living stipend, an education award, and ongoing support accessing military benefits and other resources. Additionally, veterans between the ages of 21 and 35 will qualify for noncompetitive hiring status for up to 120 days following the completion of the service term. That means you can turn your successful internship into permanent employment within federal agencies without the highly competitive federal hiring process.
If you want to know more about how VetsWork is supporting career development for military veterans. If the job market seems overwhelming. If you are interested in finding employment in the natural resources or public lands management field then go to our website at http://www.mtadamsinstitute.com/programs/ for a link to detailed descriptions of the full range of benefits provided by VetsWork.
To review current job postings go to http://www.mtadamsinstitute.com/jobs/ and let us support you through our mission to effectively support employment for our returning military heroes. Jobs are the least we can do for you. We promise to support your employment goals every step of the way.