Fort Huachuca, Arizona--Registration is underway now for a 12-week corporate fellowship program designed for those planning to transition from the military to civilian life and find employment in the private sector.
The Fort Huachuca Education Center and Soldier for Life-Transition Assistance Program have partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Foundation to start a corporate fellowship program on post as part of the Career Skills Program to move those leaving military service into employment positions rather than unemployment situations.
Service members transition out of Fort Huachuca into the civilian workforce each year. These Service members have successfully sustained military careers and gained skills that have either a direct or indirect correlation to most professions in the civilian industry. From enlisted to officer, these Service members possess the education, training, experience and high work ethic to be force multipliers in any civilian business, according to a Hiring our Heroes information flyer.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes Program seeks to capitalize on the qualifications and the potential of senior NCOs and junior to mid-grade officers by offering fellowships at partner companies in the surrounding regions.
The 12-week program is designed to move transitioning Soldiers into corporate America, offering a high likelihood of full time employment upon completion. The program is not designed for those seeking federal employment; it is meant for those who wish to work in the private sector, according to Sarah Worley, Hiring Our Heroes senior manager. The target is senior NCOs or junior officers, but anyone who meets the criteria is invited to apply. Ideally, applicants should have an associate or Bachelor of Arts degree and at least three years of experience in a leadership position. They should also be within 180 days of separation from service.
May 11 is the application deadline for the first cohort here. Hiring Our Heroes staff will conduct the first round of interviews on or about May 31.
Those accepted will spend Monday through Wednesday of each week at the sponsoring business in an intern capacity, and then meet on Thursday at Cochise College for a classroom focus on leadership, under the direction of the college's human resources department. Friday will be spent at the participant's unit. The goal is for the sponsoring business to offer the participant a full-time position at the end of the program. The last day of class is Oct. 12.
Worley spent Feb. 23 and 24 at the Fort Huachuca Education Center promoting the program and conducting information sessions for interested Service members.
"This is a great program for the military and provides [on-the-job training] with committed companies," Worley said. "It's a tremendous runway Service members have not had in the past. It helps military members better determine where they want to go next in their careers. The Hiring Our Heroes Program has had an 80-percent success rate [in gaining employment for those leaving the military]," she added, encouraging people to apply.
Once applications are submitted, the second step is the interview process during where Hiring Our Heroes staff try to match the applicant with the right business. The businesses, still to be determined, will also interview the candidates and make their selections.
"We hope to have three or four businesses that take three or four fellows each, and the target is [roughly] 10 to 15 people for the first iteration which runs July 18 to Oct 12," said Sharon Lewis, education services officer, Fort Huachuca Education Program. Each installation typically hosts two or three cohorts of 20-30 fellows per year. Fort Huachuca will host a second cohort in early 2017.
"It's a great opportunity for Soldiers to participate in a nationally-based program," Lewis added. "It not only places people here, but nationwide," she said.
Participating businesses should have company offices located within 75 miles of Fort Huachuca, including the Tucson area. They should have the ability to train fellows at management-level positions or equivalent professional opportunities, and offer training in positions typically requiring a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Businesses must participate in the networking receptions and graduations with the interns.
Businesses benefit from the program in several ways.
Hiring Our Heroes narrows recruiting efforts down to a select, elite few, while affording companies the luxury of having extended exposure to each candidate. The program provides companies a fully funded, corporate-level educational program which enhances and sharpens Fellows' knowledge, skills, and abilities. The program also complies with all Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs requirements on veteran hiring, according to information shared during the briefings.
To learn more about Fort Huachuca's program, Lewis encourages people to visit Fort Huachuca's Education Center, Building 52104.
For participation information, questions and inquiries about the Corporate Fellowship Program, contact the Hiring Our Heroes' Director of Education, Marady Leary, at mleary@uschamber.com.
For general information about the program, visit Hiringourheroes.org/fellowships.
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