VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Sentara Healthcare joined Facebook, Amazon and hundreds of other organizations nationwide in ensuring the U.S. Army's newest Soldiers receive mentorship and employment consideration after their military service during an official ceremony here Friday, Aug. 17.
Top officials from Sentara Healthcare and the Army's local recruiting battalion headquartered in Richmond, Va. signed the finalized agreement at Tidewater Community College's Student Center, aligning the organizations' enduring commitment to veterans' professional development under a single, common mission.
"We are committed to making sure our Soldiers are set up to succeed during and after their military service," said LTC Andrew Burgess, Battalion Commander, U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Richmond. "This partnership with Sentara reaffirms our commitment and opens more career opportunities to recruits in the local footprint."
The Army career program, known as the U.S. Army Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) provides Soldiers personalized access to and a guaranteed job interview with staff at participating organizations of their choice.
In addition to PaYS' important impact on transitioning Soldiers, Becky Sawyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sentara Healthcare, suggested the program also furthers her organization's mission to serve the community and enhance national healthcare.
"We look forward to the benefits this program will bring not only to service members moving into civilian employment but also to Sentara by providing a rich leadership opportunity and in bringing the sense of service you all have as you serve our country," Sawyer said.
Positions are not just limited to clinical skillsets, however. Sentara, which hired over 1,000 veterans in the Hampton Roads area between 2012 and 2016, has more than 1,500 types of jobs open to service members, said Sawyer.
Currently, the Army employment program partners with more than 500 organizations nationwide, according to PaYS' administering agency, the U.S. Army Marketing and Research Group (AMRG), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army.
Among the most notable partners are Fortune 500 companies, including JP Morgan, Tesla Motors, Amazon and Facebook. Local organizations, such as the Virginia Beach Police Department, Newport News Sheriff Office, Richmond City Police and the City of Harrisonburg, also participate in the program.
Active-duty, Reserve and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Soldiers can elect to participate in PaYS during their enlistment process or training regimen. Through a common centralized online dashboard, Soldiers communicate one-on-one with corporate staff and hiring officials to learn more about desired job prerequisites, resume tailoring and interview preparation.
After serving in the military and completing service commitments, enlisted Soldiers, Reserve Soldiers and recently graduated ROTC Lieutenants are eligible for a guaranteed job interview with their partnered organization. While the program does not promise employment, Soldiers often have a considerable advantage over other applications, according to AMRG.
"This is a powerful tool for future service members," said Maj. Lauren Hamlin, Executive Officer, U.S. Army 1st Medical Recruiting Battalion. "The program provides young Officers and Soldiers an opportunity to immediately succeed in the civilian workforce after bravely serving their country."
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