INDUSTRY INTEL NONPROFITS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DON’T OVERLOOK THE OBVIOUS Government services and nonprofi ts off er millions of jobs ideal for transitioning military and recent veterans. BY DAN SWANSON WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NONPROFIT INDUSTRY? How about government services? The names probably don’t roll off your tongue when you’re talking about post-military career options, but when you consider the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 12.3 million jobs in nonpro�it organizations in 2016, ears start to perk up. Yep – that’s more than 10% of the total private sector employment across the nation, in a single sector. And you might even guess that government services includes two major well-known employers – police departments and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Pretty Military Friendly ® , right? A total of 123,608 veterans work at VA, according to the latest federal government data. Beyond this – VA recently reported to Congress that it’s hiring for more than 49,000 vacancies across the department, to top off its already higher-than-ever employment rates. Those kinds of numbers are almost too good to be true. But not for vets, who make up close to 30% of the VA workforce and are well-represented among the ranks of the nation’s police of�icers. We asked Sgt. David A. Corlett why the Cincinnati Police Department seeks 24 JANUARY 2020 | GIJOBS.COM veteran candidates. “We �ind that military veterans already possess most of the skills we value in our police of�icers,” he said. “Veteran candidates are accustomed to being on time and working under a chain of command; they are comfortable and understand the importance of a clean, sharp uniform appearance. Veteran candidates are accustomed to working under pressure and the importance of following directions. The veteran candidates have the ability to get along and communicate within many different cultures.” Even better, the Cincinnati Police Department is an example of a Veterans Affairs-approved “on-the-job” training program, allowing service members to draw GI Bill funds while training. Pretty cool. Darren Sherrard, associate director of recruitment marketing at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said, “We value the special skills and perspectives that transitioning military and veterans bring to our work providing high-quality care to those who have served.” He referenced a 2018 survey that ranked VA sixth among the 17 largest federal agencies considered the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. “Transitioning from military service to a civilian career comes with unique opportunities and challenges. At VA, we understand that perhaps better than any other employer,” Sherrard said. Sold yet? Apply for jobs in the nonpro�it and government services industries today, and join the ranks of millions of other supported veterans making their splash in the civilian world.
G.I. Jobs January 2020: Page 24
