The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, is launching a program in September that makes the transition between military and civilian life easier for veterans who are about to be discharged.
The Military Mentoring Initiative (MMI) will give active service members in the last stages of their military service and their spouses the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the workforce through job shadowing and coaching provided by participating North County businesses and organizations.
The program gives participating veterans a chance to see what it is really like to work in a variety of civilian professions, helping them to better define their post-military goals and helping them determine the skills and education they need to succeed in the private sector.
Participating businesses will mentor these young men and women, informing them on the required skills and education for specific jobs, reviewing their resumes and coaching them on ways to progress into these professions.
By showing them what it's like to work in a variety of jobs, local companies will help veterans make smart future career and educational decisions. A visit to a local business is inspiring. It reveals what an occupation is really like based on personal experience, takes out any speculation or guesswork, and it welcomes them to the business side of life.
The goal is to help the veterans learn about the business world so they can navigate their way toward successful careers.
While participating in the program, military personnel will be released from their military duties so that they can report for duty in participating companies and organizations.
Participants will continue to be paid their military wages. The length of each job shadowing assignment can last a day, a week or a month, depending on the goals of each participant. Military members are allowed a 30-day window of temporary assignment to be mentored, and they can shadow as many civilian jobs as possible during that time.
The need for this program is evident in the statistics, notes Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ted Owen.
The current unemployment rate for recently discharged military personnel between the ages of 18 and 24 is currently 31 percent, about three times greater than the national average. At Camp Pendleton, about 8,000 military personnel are discharged from duty annually, nearly 200 a week, entering a job pool that continues to struggle with the economic downturn.
Many of those discharged enlisted directly from high school. They've had tours of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and except for their service, have never had full-time jobs or looked for jobs in the private sector.
Owen, himself a Marine, notes that they have learned teamwork, leadership and a strong work ethic.
"Our hope is to familiarize participating businesses, sponsoring companies, with these attributes," Owen said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for all participants to learn from each other."
NRG West and Tri-City Medical Center, companies that test-piloted the program and gave it high marks. NRG West provided seed money to make the program possible.
The Chamber is currently looking for companies interested in taking part in this program. There are no costs involved, no commitment to offer jobs, and no liability as participants are covered by the military. Instead, it requires the company's time, commitment and planning to make this happen.
To participate in the program, contact Military Mentoring Initiative Manager Madonna May at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 760-931-8400 or [email protected].
The Military Mentoring Initiative (MMI) will give active service members in the last stages of their military service and their spouses the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the workforce through job shadowing and coaching provided by participating North County businesses and organizations.
The program gives participating veterans a chance to see what it is really like to work in a variety of civilian professions, helping them to better define their post-military goals and helping them determine the skills and education they need to succeed in the private sector.
Participating businesses will mentor these young men and women, informing them on the required skills and education for specific jobs, reviewing their resumes and coaching them on ways to progress into these professions.
By showing them what it's like to work in a variety of jobs, local companies will help veterans make smart future career and educational decisions. A visit to a local business is inspiring. It reveals what an occupation is really like based on personal experience, takes out any speculation or guesswork, and it welcomes them to the business side of life.
The goal is to help the veterans learn about the business world so they can navigate their way toward successful careers.
While participating in the program, military personnel will be released from their military duties so that they can report for duty in participating companies and organizations.
Participants will continue to be paid their military wages. The length of each job shadowing assignment can last a day, a week or a month, depending on the goals of each participant. Military members are allowed a 30-day window of temporary assignment to be mentored, and they can shadow as many civilian jobs as possible during that time.
The need for this program is evident in the statistics, notes Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ted Owen.
The current unemployment rate for recently discharged military personnel between the ages of 18 and 24 is currently 31 percent, about three times greater than the national average. At Camp Pendleton, about 8,000 military personnel are discharged from duty annually, nearly 200 a week, entering a job pool that continues to struggle with the economic downturn.
Many of those discharged enlisted directly from high school. They've had tours of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and except for their service, have never had full-time jobs or looked for jobs in the private sector.
Owen, himself a Marine, notes that they have learned teamwork, leadership and a strong work ethic.
"Our hope is to familiarize participating businesses, sponsoring companies, with these attributes," Owen said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for all participants to learn from each other."
NRG West and Tri-City Medical Center, companies that test-piloted the program and gave it high marks. NRG West provided seed money to make the program possible.
The Chamber is currently looking for companies interested in taking part in this program. There are no costs involved, no commitment to offer jobs, and no liability as participants are covered by the military. Instead, it requires the company's time, commitment and planning to make this happen.
To participate in the program, contact Military Mentoring Initiative Manager Madonna May at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 760-931-8400 or [email protected].