Tech startup helps veterans find jobs for free
Vouch4Vets uses a video platform that allows advocates to create video referals
A new tech startup called Vouch4Vets.org helps veterans in need of work find jobs free of charge.
The California-based nonprofit works with veteran services organizations, veteran groups and hiring companies to connect veterans to job prospects.
"We created a platform to give job seekers an edge, and we decided to put that advantage toward military vets and their spouses," David Brennan, who founded Vouch4Vets in February, told FOX Business.
The platform uses a social video platform called VetStory that allows veteran advocates to upload video referrals on behalf of veteran job seekers or their spouses that can be included in applications and shared with potential employers.
Vouch4Vets screenshot
Vouch4Vets recruits mentors, references, peers and former supervisors to create referral videos for veterans and showcase how military skills are applicable in the job market, and it is free for both job seekers and advocates. Advocates put referral videos and job applicant information out to employers and, in turn, push messages from those employers out to veterans and their spouses who may be interested.
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"The real primary factor that joins us all together as job seekers are advocates," Brennan said. "Our military vets and spouses are building profiles and then asking their advocates to give them ... a video referral so they can introduce themselves to hiring companies and recruiters."
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The Vouch4Vets team is made up of veterans, human resource specialists and tech experts. The platform aims to reach 10,000 veterans by the first quarter of 2021.
Vouch4Vets screenshot
Vouch4Vets also aims to connect veterans and military spouses with the best possible jobs they can get and away from jobs like bagging groceries and selling cellphones. Recruiters are actively looking for qualified personnel, such as military veterans, to fill high-paying, high-tech jobs in security and privacy.
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"We expect a big spike in soldiers logging into our platform," Brennan said. "The success they're experiencing is unrivaled."
The national veteran unemployment rate is higher than usual as a result of the coronavirus pandemic but fell from 6.8% in September to 5.9% in October. The national veteran unemployment rate in 2019 was 3.1% and varied from 0.9% in Maryland to 6.1% in Montana, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.