Veterans Re-Employment Resources

Veterans who are rejoining the civilian workforce or who are interested in changing careers have several resources available to help.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is a great place to start. They offer a “Veterans Employment Toolkit” on their website, which includes a variety of resources to find a job, advance or change their careers or even start their own businesses.

Some of these resources include:

• Veterans Employment Center – Find educational and career counseling resources, including resume building and help choosing potential careers; support for small business owners and transition assistance.
• Job listings – Several job boards are featured, including VAfor VETS, USAJOBS and U.S. Department of Treasury listings.
• Veteran Employment Program Office – VEPO offers online job-seeking training and resources, job links and more. The outreach program provides in-person events offering career coaching, readiness assistance and other employment resources.
• Industry-specific programs – Find programs such as Troops to Teachers, Helmets to Hardhats and Veterans Green Jobs to help you transition from the military into a variety of industries.

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service

Veterans’ Employment and Training Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. It offers resources and programs to help veterans and military spouses find and train for civilian careers.

Some of the resources VETS offers include:

• Veterans employment services – Find resources to start your own business, learn more about civilian career opportunities or connect with national resources.
• Transition assistance – VETS features several programs for service members transitioning from the military, including the Transition Assistance Program, Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot and Off-Base Transition Training.
• The Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program
• Veterans’ Preference advisor – Learn more about Veterans’ Preference, including eligibility, how it works and how to file an appeal.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, is one of the key resources on the VETS website. It offers job seekers, students and career professionals tools to identify new careers, find the right training for their desired career paths or search for jobs. It. Career One Stop has an excellent tool called the Military to Civilian Occupation Translator. It helps service members match military skills and experience to civilian occupations. This can be done by simply entering the military occupation code, keywords or military branch.

CareerOneStop provides information in the following areas:

• Exploring careers – Find out what kind of career will fit you best.
• Salary and benefits – Find out what different occupations pay and where the job market in your local area is heading.
• Education and training – Find training programs, colleges and universities in your local area.
• Job search – Search for jobs in any location across the U.S.
• Resumes and interviews – Learn how to get in the door with a fantastic resume or job application.
• Workforce services – Find workforce services, such as American Job Centers, job programs and apprenticeship offices in your neighborhood or across the country.
• Unemployment filing assistance – File for or learn more about unemployment benefits.
• State services and information – Use state and local tools to learn about the workforce and find services.
• Occupation information – Learn about any occupation, including what you might do on the job, how much you might earn and how much education or training you might need.

Jim spent 22 years on active duty, climbing the ranks from Airman Basic to a decorated Air Force Major. Stationed all over the world, he held many high-level posts, including Chief of Foreign Military Sales at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Jim earned his Ph.D. through the Montgomery Era GI Bill and spent 13 years teaching African Studies in Pennsylvania. Jim is also an award-winning travel writer.

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