Wisconsin’s veteran talent attraction team is scheduled to attend Hiring Our Heroes transition summits at eight military bases in the U.S. and overseas in the first half of 2019.
The technical skills, discipline, leadership qualities and team orientation military veterans bring to the workplace are recognized assets veteran-friendly companies value in building their workforce. In order to increase the pool of veteran talent available to Wisconsin employers, state agencies have launched a coordinated marketing campaign targeting service members preparing to separate from the military. Interested Wisconsin businesses can engage directly with the state’s outreach to these transitioning service members and their families by attending recruitment events or simply registering their interest in receiving vetted resumés submitted to the Wisconsin state delegation.
A collaborative effort between the WEDC, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Wisconsin’s $1.9 million veteran talent attraction initiative includes visits to Hiring Our Heroes transition summits at military bases throughout the country and at select installations abroad to promote the state’s exceptional educational, career and lifestyle opportunities. To date, the Wisconsin delegation has visited bases in three states and made personal contact with more than 850 service members.
Wisconsin businesses are invited to attend these transition summits, either with a free booth for their company or as a “Wisconsin Ambassador,” serving as a member of the state delegation. Wisconsin companies also have the option of hosting a side-car event in conjunction with a base visit in order to establish deeper connections with attendees outside the summit.
Information about these transitioning veteran engagement opportunities can be found on WEDC’s Hire Veterans page, where Wisconsin companies can also learn about a corporate fellowship option available to them through the national Hiring Our Heroes program. Companies accepted into the program host a 12-week program to provide transitioning service members with professional training and hands-on experience in the civilian workforce.
Companies that submit an interest form from the information page will be contacted for more information about their open positions and the type of skills they require. Then, after each Hiring Our Heroes event, the Wisconsin delegation will provide submitted resumés to the registered program partners whose positions match the qualifications and interests of transitioning service members or their spouses.
