Written by Jason Sidock
There are many good programs available at the national and local levels to help Veterans and their family members find gainful employment. These programs are a great resource, especially in the times we live in today. One such program is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) initiative launched in March 2011 as a nationwide effort to connect veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with meaningful employment opportunities.
Their mission statement: HOH connects the military community—service members, military spouses, and veterans—with American businesses to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce. Many businesses that we interact with in the Carroll County area daily like Amazon, Toyota, Walmart, Verizon, Wells Fargo Bank, GM, Lowes, FedEx, CVS Health, Firehouse Subs, GE, Popeyes, Shell Gas, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Uber, and UPS participate in HOH.
HOH offers several proven programs to accomplish their mission. Programs like Hands-on Experience, where fellows spend four days a week with their host company and receive on-the-job training to build their civilian work experience. The Professional Training Program allows fellows to spend one day a week in professional development and employment-related training. Fellows can develop their skills by earning professional certifications through self-paced programs.
The Internship Programs range from six to twelve weeks and connect service members, military spouses, and military caregivers with companies that provide experiential opportunities with the goal of hiring. The HOH Corporate Fellowship Program is an innovative 12-week program that provides transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce.
The professional development offered throughout the program prepares fellows for a smooth transition into meaningful civilian careers. The Military Spouse Fellowship Program (MSFP) is a cutting-edge initiative that provides military spouses with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce. The professional development and direct connection to local employers offered through the 6-week program enable military spouses to quickly build their networks and gain localized job experience. Lastly, the Caregiver Fellowship Program is a brand-new initiative that provides caregivers of wounded warriors with professional training, networking, and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce.
HOH has over 1,000 committed employers nationwide that participate in their programs. According to a Service Member Fellow, “It’s more than just fitting you with a company. It’s the whole package. Helping you transition, building your network, and providing you with career training.” In the words of USAA, Veterans and military spouses have unique skills that set them apart from the crowd, but many companies don’t appreciate the value of these talents during the hiring process. It’s a different story at USAA. Because we exclusively serve the military community, we go the extra mile to seek out those who have first-hand understanding of our members’ experiences. And it comes with great pay and benefits that help you build your future.
HOH has helped many service members, military spouses, and veterans find the courage, motivation, and initiative to be successful after a life of serving their country.
