These veteran job programs help military members transition into the workplace after service
Heroes need hiring.
About 1,300 military service members, spouses and children transition into civilian communities every day, according to the Department of Defense. And just one in four veterans said they had a job lined up after discharge, while others have said it can take up to a year to find employment. What’s worse, more than 800,000 veterans are unemployed.
“Veterans face a new beginning when returning from service, and they must cultivate a new career path. For too many veterans, accessing a skill that can produce value is challenging,” Christopher Neiweem, the founder of Iraq War Veteran American Veterans Policy Network (AVPN), told FOX Business.
One in four veterans struggle to find jobs. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File) (AP)
Neiweem says he's seen more veterans utilize and leverage their GI Bill benefits to attend public colleges and seek opportunities in fields like aviation as helicopter pilots, where starting salaries are as high as $80,000 a year.
PayScale compiled a list of the highest-paying jobs based on information veterans provided in an employment survey. Management consultant topped the list, with a median annual salary of $98,100, and IT project manager with a median annual salary of $81,000.
What's more, military members say their service has helped them with managing money. Indeed, a recent study from the Pew Research Center found that 68 percent of post-9/11 veterans with combat experience said their service helped them financially, versus 30 percent of per-9/11 combat veterans.
A number of veteran transition assistance programs are designed to help veterans develop skills like writing a resume, interview for potential jobs, write cover letters and enroll in college or educational programs once they’re ready to rejoin the workforce. Here are some ways vets can seek employment opportunities after service.
About 1,300 military service members, spouses and children transition into civilian communities every day, according to the Department of Defense. (iStock)
American Legion
This organization raises millions each year to assist vets and their families with scholarship opportunities for education. Veterans can get access to resources that help them understand benefits from the GI Bill (education benefits earned by members of Active Duty, Selected Reserve and National Guard Armed Forces and their families), and get access to a career portal with job search tools and updates on career fairs around the country.
VetJobs
This online military job board posts more than 200,000 current job listings. VetJobs helps bridge the gap between highly-skilled veteran job candidates and civilian hiring managers. All services are free.
Veterans Support Organization (VSO)
In 2001, this Rhode Island-based organization started out as a food bank to help starving and homeless veterans. It then started hiring vets to allow them to earn an income. The VSO’s work program is donation-driven.
(Courtesy: Veterans Support Organization)
America Wants You
This unique private sector initiative teams up with corporate America to find jobs for women and men who served in the military.
The organization calls upon big and small companies to pledge jobs for vets in need.