Finding employment is one of the biggest challenges veterans face when returning home from active duty. Although the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an overall decline in the veteran unemployment rate for 2017, returning veterans still face a number of challenges when it comes to finding jobs.
In 2013, just two years after the Joining Forces initiative was launched to help military families overcome obstacles to success—especially concerning veteran employment—Fortune.com posted a blog titled, " 3 Reasons Why Companies Don’t Hire Veterans".
The blog discussed the negative assumptions prospective employers often make about veterans’ mental health, as well as a lack of understanding about how military skills and rankings translate to so-called “real-world” skills and positions. It was pointed out also that companies are apprehensive about future deployments, thinking if they hire vets they could be left high and dry if those vets are suddenly redeployed.
All three reasons were essentially debunked, but the stigma surrounding veterans remains, making finding a job and beginning the next stage of their career that much harder. Fortunately, a growing number of businesses, universities, and organizations are recognizing the importance of helping our military service men and women get the training and certifications they need to succeed.
Interested in a Career in Cybersecurity?
The nonprofit organization Hire Our Heroes was founded with the goal of giving veterans the tools and training necessary to help them secure employment. Together with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, they provide free cybersecurity training for veterans through the Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE) online training center. You can find out more about the program here.
Thinking about Starting a Small Business?
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, accounting for more than half of all workers in the United States. The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV), launched by the Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families, provides free “cutting-edge, experimental training in entrepreneurship and small business management” to post-9/11 veterans to help them start their own business—which 72 percent of their graduates have done.
Get Access to Free Courses through LinkedIn
The online professional network LinkedIn offers free access to more than 10,000 business, technical, and creative courses through their LinkedIn for Good initiative. Eligible veterans can take advantage of a year of free access to both LinkedIn Premium and LinkedIn Learning to sharpen their skills and get valuable career advice. Check out their How Veterans Can Make the Most out of LinkedIn page.
Have Your DD214 Handy before Enrolling
These are just a few of the free training and certification opportunities available for transitioning veterans, but they all have something in common: You will need a copy of your DD214 to get the enrollment process started. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of veterans run into problems. If your DD214 was lost, destroyed, stolen or never received, locating it can eat away at valuable time—time you could be devoting to searching for your next career. While the National Archives eVetRecs system offers to find missing military documents for free, the process can be extremely slow, sometimes taking several months to receive your DD214.
When Time Is of the Essence, DD214Direct Can Help.
We offer a unique service for veterans at an affordable price so you can get what you need, when you need it. As a company founded by veterans for veterans, we understand the frustration that can come with trying to track down your DD214, OMPF, points statement and other military records, which is why we put together a team of highly experienced records retrieval experts to shorten the process by weeks or even months. We can even email you your form once we locate it.
Finding a new job after leaving active service can be a challenge. Why add one more thing to your list of to-dos?
Contact DD214Direct and find out more about how we can handle the legwork for you, or start the ordering process today and discover why countless veterans choose DD214 for outstanding service, professionalism, and convenience at a highly competitive price.
