Transitioning from the Military to civilian life can be a Veteran’s toughest assignment. Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region’s Veteran Services Team provides Military personnel, Veterans and their families with the tools and support needed to achieve successful civilian careers. This effort is collectively referred to as Operation:GoodJobs.
Operation:GoodJobs provides individualized, holistic plans to help each participant succeed. These plans are aimed to the needs of the Veteran’s entire family, with the goal of achieving job placement, retention, and long-term financial stability. The Veteran Services Team serves transitioning Military members, Reservists, National Guard Members, Veterans of all eras and ranks, Military/Veteran spouses, and dependents under 25 living with a Veteran or Military sponsor. Year-to-date in 2018, Operation:GoodJobs has successfully placed 76 of the 77 qualified participants we have served.
The Veteran Services Team provides the following services through Operation:GoodJobs:
- Connections with more than 1,400 local employers & a vast network of community service organizations
- Job leads, networking opportunities– giving you the inside track directly to hiring and HR managers and recruiters
- Support from a staff of Veterans and military spouses
- No cost training opportunities including those leading to certifications
- Internship opportunities at local, state & federal agencies
- Unlimited one-on-one resume and cover letter assistance
- LinkedIn professional profile creation
- Mock interviews
Our Veteran Services Team also specializes in is employment retention. Our retention philosophy has ensured that our clients are not only finding careers that meet their needs, but also strategically aligning them with the culture and environment in their industries.
In addition to serving Veterans transitioning to the local community, the Veteran Services Team supports hundreds of Military members who are transitioning and re-locating outside of the Pacific Northwest. Our continuing partnership efforts have fostered increasingly strong relationships with other organizations dedicated to Washington State’s “YesVets” hiring initiative.
Recently, Operation:GoodJobs increased the scope of its capabilities with the integration of the Boots To Shoes Foundation. The Boots To Shoes Foundation’s mission is to augment Veteran support services for 21st Century Veterans’ successful transition into civilian jobs. Serving Washington State’s greater Puget Sound area since 2010, the Boots To Shoes Foundation specifically aims to close the unemployment gap currently experienced by many post 9/11 Veterans. The Boots To Shoes Foundation accomplishes its mission by engaging and training volunteers from the business community to be mentors for transitioning veterans. The Boots To Shoes Foundation’s mentors are trained to provide coaching for resumes, job search plans, interview skills.
If you want to support Operation:GoodJobs, please contact any of the following members of our Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region’s Veteran Services Team members:
Rachel Turner-Bensen (Program Manager)
Phone: 253-573-6756
RachelT@goodwillwa.org
Steve Lynch (Outreach Coordinator)
Phone: 253-573-6839
Stevel@goodwillwa.org
You can find more information about us at https://www.goodwillwa.org/training/veteran.
