VetCTAP Prepares Our Military Heroes for Today’s Workplace
San Diego is “America’s Finest City”, and a great military town. However, it often surprises people that San Diego County has one of the highest Veteran unemployment rates in the country.
More than 240,500 veterans reside in San Diego County, making it the third highest population of veterans in the United States…Yet, here and elsewhere, veterans experience significant challenges when they transition from the battlefield to civilian life, especially when it comes to rejoining the workforce.
San Diego Workforce Partnership 2016 (SDWP).
November celebrates Veteran’s Day and corporate Giving Partnerships is pleased to highlight one organization making a difference for our heroes.
Veteran Career Transition Assistance Program (VetCTAP)
VetCTAP grew out of the personal military-to-civilian transition of Sandra Fichter, (US Army Officer) who is a Human Resources professional. As Sandra reviewed resumes from transitioning veterans, she became frustrated – knowing that many qualified individuals would not be selected for jobs because they lacked the knowledge to communicate their strengths and skills through their resumes.
“Job search skills were the only thing veterans were missing,” says Sandra. “They met or exceeded the qualifications, but they needed to know the rules of the game to be able to win.” So Sandra took action and recruited other HR professionals, who collectively created a popular job search workshop series for members of the military as part of their transition to civilian life.
VetCTAP is a part of JBS Transition Experts, a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation. Sustained by corporate and individual donations, grants, and in-kind contributions, all of the services and materials are provided free to veterans.
Classes are offered in Carlsbad, and Rancho Bernardo, CA, and there’s always a waiting list to attend. VetCTAP has sustained a 90% success rate of graduates obtaining the career of their choice. “We specialize in working with a uniquely underserved population – those who have served 10 or more years in the military. We also encourage spouses to attend who are seeking employment,” said Janis Whitaker, Executive Director.
The innovative and interactive 8-module series focuses on resume development, networking techniques, interviewing skills, and more. Topics assist participants to successfully identify and translate their military skills for application in the civilian job market.
Hundreds of participants complete the rigorous training and obtain meaningful employment so they can comfortably provide for themselves and their families. In November 2017, VetCTAP will celebrate its 50th successful workshop series!
The organization lives up to its motto: “Preparing Our Heroes for Today’s Workplace”.
If you are interested in learning more, VetCTAP offers opportunities to:
• Share your expertise and help our veterans succeed in their transition to the civilian workforce
• Network with these men and women, and other professionals
• Meet qualified job candidates, and promote open positions
• Be part of a significant change in the lives of those who have served
Hands-on assistance is needed to help with resume development and with mock interviews with service members and spouses. Please contact corporate Giving Partnerships, or Betsy Sheets, Program Manager of VetCTAP for more information: e) betsty@vetcap.org t) 858.831.8667.
For other donation opportunities or ways to get involved, please visit www.vetcap.org.