Veteran Workforce Development Program
THE VETERAN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Is a comprehensive initiative designed to empower military members transitioning to civilian life and veterans seeking to re-enter the workforce.
PROGRAMS
Program Structure:
The program is structured around five core competency domains, each crucial for success in the civilian workforce. We utilize a blended learning approach, combining the benefits of a flipped classroom model with both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (self-paced) learning experiences to ensure maximum flexibility and engagement.
Flipped Classroom Model: This model emphasizes pre-class preparation. Before each two-hour synchronous session, participants will engage with pre-recorded videos, readings, and other resources. This allows participants to come to the live session prepared to actively engage in discussions, activities, and personalized guidance, maximizing the value of your time and expertise.
Synchronous Sessions: Each competency domain features a two-hour live, interactive session facilitated by experienced instructors. These sessions provide a dynamic environment for Q&A, peer-to-peer learning, case studies, role-playing, and personalized feedback.
Asynchronous Learning: In addition to the synchronous sessions, participants will complete five hours of asynchronous learning per domain. This self-paced component consists of supplemental materials, assignments, practical exercises, and assessments reinforcing the concepts learned and allowing for a deeper understanding of the material.
Program Components:
The program is divided into five competency domains:
1. Self-Assessment and Career Exploration:
This domain helps participants discover their unique strengths, interests, and values and explore potential career paths. Activities include self- assessment tools, career research strategies, industry exploration, and goal setting.
2. Personal Marketing and Branding:
3. Navigating the Civilian Hiring Process:
4. Translating Military Skills and Experience:
5. Professional Development and Workplace Success:
Delivery Format:
The Veteran Workforce Development Program is offered in both virtual and in-person formats, offering flexibility and convenience to accommodate participants’ diverse schedules and locations. Participants can choose the format that best fits their needs. Regardless of the format, all participants will have access to program materials and instructor support.
Outcomes:
Upon completion of the Veteran Workforce Development Program, participants will:
• Have a clear understanding of their skills, interests, and career goals.
• Possess a polished resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.
• Be confident and prepared for interviews.
• Be able to effectively translate their military experience into civilian terms.
• Be equipped with the skills needed to succeed in the civilian workplace.
• Expand their professional network and build connections within target industries.
The Veteran Workforce Development Program is committed to providing veterans and military members with the resources and support they need to achieve their career goals. We are dedicated to your success.
COMPETENCY DOMAIN 1: SELF-ASSESSMENT & CAREER EXPLORATION
Lesson Title: Self-Assessment and Career Exploration
Educational Context
The transition from military to civilian life can be a challenging journey, filled with uncertainties about how to navigate a new career landscape. This lesson, focused on “Self-Assessment and Career Exploration,” aims to empower military personnel by providing them with the tools and insights necessary to understand their unique skill sets, values, and interests, making it easier to identify suitable civilian career options. By facilitating both self-exploration and group discussions, participants will be able to align their military experiences with the broader workforce, ultimately building confidence in their ability to market themselves effectively to potential employers.
Central Focus for the learning segment.
The central focus of this lesson is to equip participants with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to conduct thorough self-assessments, explore potential civilian career paths, and develop SMART goals that will guide their transition into civilian employment. By emphasizing the importance of aligning personal skills and values with career choices, the session aims to foster an understanding of how military experience is not only transferable but also highly valuable in the civilian workforce.
- Career Development: Understanding and applying career development principles in military-to-civilian transitions.
- Self-Assessment: Conducting self-assessments to identify transferable skills and core values.
- Occupational Information: Utilizing tools and resources for career research, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and O*NET.
- Goal Setting: Applying techniques for setting SMART goals to create actionable career plans.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
- Remembering: Participants will recall and list transferable skills and core values from their military experience.
- Understanding: Participants will explain how their self-assessment results correlate with potential civilian careers.
- Applying: Participants will conduct research on at least two civilian careers that align with their skills and interests, identifying job duties and required skills.
- Creating: Participants will formulate a SMART goal and an action plan outlining the immediate steps they will take in their career transition.
Lesson Details and Timeline
Domain 1: Self-Assessment and Career Exploration
Overall Goal: To guide participants in understanding their skills, values, interests, and how these translate into potential civilian career paths.
COMPETENCY DOMAIN 2: PERSONAL MARKETING & BRANDING
Lesson Title Personal Marketing and Branding
Educational Context
This lesson plan is designed for individuals transitioning from a military background to civilian employment.
This context is crucial because it informs the content, emphasizing transferable skills, translating military experience, and adapting professional communication to suit civilian hiring practices. The target audience likely has a unique set of experiences, skills, and knowledge, but may need assistance in framing these effectively for the civilian job market.
Central Focus for the learning segment.
The central focus is on equipping participants with the skills and tools necessary to create compelling personal
marketing materials that effectively communicate their value and increase their chances of securing civilian
employment. This encompasses developing a strong understanding of personal branding and building a
professional presence (resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile) that resonates with potential employers.
Discipline or Professional Standard(s)
Career Development: This encompasses the knowledge and skills required for career planning, self-
assessment, job searching, and professional development. The lesson plan directly supports career development by providing guidance on resume and cover letter writing, and LinkedIn profile
optimization. This will allow the participants to understand and leverage their skills, experiences and abilities.Communication (Written and Verbal): This focuses on effectively conveying information and ideas in both written and spoken forms. The creation of resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles requires clear, concise, and persuasive writing. The lesson also incorporates peer review and live critiques,
providing opportunities for participants to improve their verbal communication skills.- Marketing: This involves understanding how to promote a product or service to potential customers. In this context, participants are learning to market themselves as skilled and valuable employees, emphasizing their key qualifications and experience. They learn to target their resume and cover letter
to their desired job posting. - Technology Proficiency (LinkedIn): This involves utilizing digital tools and platforms, particularly LinkedIn, for professional networking and self-promotion. The lesson plan provides instruction on how to build and optimize a LinkedIn profile, showcasing the importance of online presence in today’s job market.
Learning Outcomes.
By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
- Knowledge (Remembering/Understanding): Participants will be able to identify the key components of a strong resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, explaining the purpose and best practices for each.
- Application (Applying): Participants will be able to apply the STAR method to effectively describe their accomplishments and utilize provided templates and examples to create initial drafts of their resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.
- Analysis (Analyzing): Participants will be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their marketing materials, comparing their drafts against provided examples and identifying areas for improvement based on feedback.
- Synthesis (Creating): Participants will be able to revise their resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile based on feedback from peers and the instructor, integrating best practices to create a cohesive and compelling personal brand.
COMPETENCY DOMAIN 3: NAVIGATING THE CIVILIAN HIRING PROCESS
Lesson Title Navigating the Civilian Hiring Process
Educational Context
This lesson plan targets individuals preparing to enter or re-enter the civilian workforce. It recognizes the importance of a well-structured job search process, including application, interview, and negotiation. The context is practical and directly related to career development and employment. The
target audience might include veterans, career changers, recent graduates, or anyone seeking to improve their job search skills. The lesson is designed to be a practical and supportive learning experience, providing participants with the tools and knowledge they need to confidently navigate the hiring process.
Central Focus for the learning segment.
The central focus is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully navigate the civilian hiring process from start to finish. This includes understanding application strategies, mastering interview techniques, and negotiating job offers.
Discipline or Professional Standard(s)
- Career Development: Focusing on developing skills to find a job within the civilian sector
- Communication: Mastering the art of professional communication for each step within the hiring process, from resume crafting to networking, interviews, and salary negotiations.
- Job Seeking Skills: Building the ability to effectively research, apply for, and secure a job.
- Professionalism: Understanding and demonstrating professional conduct throughout the hiring process.
Learning Outcomes. By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
- Knowledge (Remember): Identify and recall the key stages of the civilian hiring process (application, interview, negotiation).
- Comprehension (Understand): Explain the purpose and components of a compelling resume, cover letter, and application.
- Application (Apply): Demonstrate the ability to answer common interview questions using the STAR method in a mock interview setting.
- Evaluation (Evaluate): Assess their market value and justify their salary expectations during a salary negotiation simulation.
COMPETENCY DOMAIN 4: TRANSLATING MILITARY SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Lesson Title: Translating Military Skills and Experience
Educational Context
This session is designed to empower military members and veterans as they navigate the transition from military service to civilian careers. These individuals have honed invaluable skills and gained significant experience during their service. However, the language and expectations of the civilian workforce can sometimes feel like a different world. This session will equip individuals with the tools and strategies to effectively translate their military skills, experience, and accomplishments into terms that civilian employers understand and value. During this lesson, we’ll focus on demystifying the translation process, crafting compelling narratives of individual achievements, and communicating a unique value proposition.
Central Focus for the learning segment.
To empower veterans to effectively articulate their military skills and experience in a manner that resonates with civilian employers, ultimately increasing their job prospects and career success.
Discipline or Professional Standard(s)
- Career Readiness Standards: Focuses on career planning and exploration, understanding skills, and the job search process.
- Communication Skills: Emphasis on clear, concise, and persuasive written and verbal communication tailored to specific audiences.
- Self-Awareness: Promotes the ability to identify strengths, weaknesses, and values and to articulate these effectively.
- Professionalism: Emphasizes the ability to present oneself professionally, understand workplace norms, and navigate interview processes.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
- (Knowledge/Remember): Identify their primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) and recall at least three potential civilian job titles that align with their experience.
- (Comprehension/Understand): Explain the core concepts of the STAR method and how to apply it to construct compelling accomplishment statements.
- (Application/Apply): Translate at least five of their military skills into civilian-relevant skills, providing specific examples of how those skills were demonstrated.
- (Evaluation/Evaluate): Critically assess their draft resume and cover letter, incorporating translated skills and accomplishment statements, and identify areas for improvement to effectively communicate their value to a civilian employer.
(Evaluation/Evaluate): Critically assess their draft resume and cover letter, incorporating translated skills and accomplishment statements, and identify areas for improvement to effectively communicate their value to a civilian employer.
COMPETENCY DOMAIN 5: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & WORKPLACE SUCCESS
Lesson Title: Professional Development and Workplace Success
Educational Context
The transition from military to civilian employment can be a challenging journey for many veterans. Realizing this, our professional development workshop aims to equip participants with the crucial skills and knowledge necessary for thriving in the civilian workplace. This class is structured to offer insights into workplace expectations, foster essential communication skills, and provide strategies for conflict resolution while promoting an understanding of the differences between military and civilian work cultures.
The workshop commences with pre-work assignments, which serve as a foundational introduction to key concepts regarding workplace cultures and norms. Participants engage with materials that encourage critical reflection on their existing skills and how those can be adapted for civilian success. This self-guided reflection is pivotal as it prepares participants for a more interactive and collaborative experience during the instructor-led session.
Central Focus for the learning segment.
Our central focus is on preparing participants for effective communication, robust teamwork, strong work ethics, and navigating the nuances of civilian employment. These skills not only ease the transition but also empower veterans to become valuable contributors in their new roles.
Discipline or Professional Standard(s)
- National Career Development Association (NCDA) Career Development Competencies: Promoting skills for effective career development and lifelong learning.
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning Standards: Equipping trainees with foundational professional skills in alignment with workforce expectations.
- American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Competency Model: Encouraging the development of effective communication and interpersonal skills within organizational settings.
- International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Standards: Adhering to recognized standards in providing adult education and professional development.
Learning Outcomes.
By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to:
- Remembering: Participants will identify key elements of workplace culture, including communication expectations and professional norms, to facilitate their understanding of civilian work environments..
- Understanding: Participants will compare and contrast military and civilian workplace cultures, demonstrating their comprehension of how cultural differences impact workplace interactions..
- Applying: Participants will role-play common workplace scenarios to practice effective communication and conflict resolution techniques, applying learned concepts in a simulated environment.
- Evaluating: Participants will analyze workplace scenarios and provide constructive feedback on their peers’ handling of those situations, enhancing their evaluation skills while reflecting on best practices..
Overall Goal: To prepare participants for workplace success, including communication, teamwork, work ethic, and navigating the civilian work environment.
