Title: Operation Career: Military/Veteran Transition Assistance

Audience: Military, Veterans and their spouses

Duration: 6 hours

Outcomes: Job search skills, knowledge, resources and practice. A Job Search Action Plan with 5 specific actions related to the job search process, and due dates. A 30-day accountability check-in.
Description: Operation Career is a full-day, interactive career workshop designed specifically to give transitioning Military, Veterans and their spouses the strategies, resources, skills and accountability they need to find employment in the civilian workforce.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have a 15.2% unemployment rate, the highest level recorded since the federal government began collecting data on Veterans in 2005. This year an additional 30,000 Veterans will be joining the labor pool in California alone (California Department of Veteran's Affairs).
Many of these Veterans need additional preparation to compete in today's job market, either because they had little or no work experience before going on active duty or because they don't know how to translate their Military experi-ence to meet civilian job requirements. While there are a number of websites and resources available to Veterans, most focus on providing information on what to do to find a job rather than providing an opportunity to learn and practice how to find a job.

Operation Career is based on Workbook (a PeopleThink publication, www.PeopleThink.biz). It includes 5 action-oriented modules corresponding to the 5 key steps in the career planning process. Each module comprises activities, checklists and tools.

1. Taking Inventory - What are your values, skills, natural talents and barriers?
2. Creating You - Can you clearly state what you want and what sets you apart from your competition?
3. Designing Your Target Campaign - What's your career plan and how will you attain it?
4. Getting Out There - Are you ready to interview with confidence and negotiate your worth?
5. Taking Charge of Your Career - Are you preparing for your next career opportunity?