Building a Career Bridge for Veterans
Posted by TSA, Inc.
Leading Edge
On Tuesday, Technology Security Associates, Inc. will be participating in the Naval Air Station Patuxent River JOBZONE fair at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum in Lexington Park, which will give local veterans a chance to find ways to transition out of military service into civilian careers.
The job fair starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 7 p.m., but it’s not the only thing TSA is doing for newly discharged and service-disabled veterans.
“Supporting our folks who serve our country has always been a big deal for us,” said Ms. Katie Alvey, Technical Recruiter for TSA.
Ms. Alvey said that TSA, along with Avian Engineering and Tekla, has created a local program called VETBridge, which provides training and career opportunities for local veterans.
As of May, Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have a 12.7 percent unemployment rate, compared to the national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent. In response to this disparity, Congress passed and President Obama signed the “VOW to Hire Heroes Act” in late November 2011. The law provides tax credits up to $9,600 for businesses that hire veterans, mandates the Transition Assistance Program and translates military certifications into similar civilian jobs.
But jobs bills and Congressional sentiment are not enough to encourage businesses to hire returning veterans. Businesses are still nervous about expanding their workforce during this economic downturn.
However, TSA sees the skill sets that returning vets bring and the value they can add to customers needs and it is willing to invest in those who have defended out national security. With a staff comprised of 25 percent veterans, TSA understands what it’s like to transition out of military service.
“They just need someone to bridge the gap between their military experience and the civilian world,” Ms. Alvey said.
Hence, TSA founded the VETBridge program.
“There’s a need for a lot of companies to have a program like this,” Ms. Alvey said.
TSA needs to build a pipeline of talented individuals with particular skill sets necessary to solve the unique and challenging security issues surrounding the US and allied interests in the 21st Century. The development of this apprenticeship opportunity will result in a highly skilled, steady stream of human capital for TSA while simultaneously offering our returning military veteran workforce the opportunity for further education and meaningful career opportunities that meet TSA’s business strategy.
