Injured veterans are finding new career paths with the help of Jacksonville, FL-based Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Recently, WWP connected warriors with detailed career assessments. The online questionnaire determined abilities and identified 25 potential opportunities for each veteran.

“We use technology to advance the way talent and companies connect,” says Stephen Pollan, founder and CEO of Pelocity, a Jacksonville-based company WWP is working with to identify careers for warriors.

The technology goes beyond a simple question-and-answer format. It creates a database of prospective jobs and spells out, in detail, what’s necessary to apply. 

“This means a warrior knows if he or she can start that career right away, or if he or she needs to expand his or her skills,” says Kevin Rasch, WWP Warriors to Work manager.

“This allows Wounded Warrior Project to steer veterans toward additional education, if needed, or networking opportunities for jobs for which they’re already qualified.”

“The assessment pinpointed what I wanted my career to be,” Navy veteran Gabriel Perez notes. “The survey came back with network administrator and computer technician as my top careers.”

Gabriel already targeted those fields in his career search. He’s been working with WWP career counseling on his resume and interview coaching. 

“Wounded Warrior Project has helped me throughout my search,” Perez adds. “Now I have opportunities with potential employers.”

WWP placed more than 2,800 warriors and family members in meaningful careers, creating more than $95 million in economic impact in 2016. Through partnerships with organizations like Pelocity, WWP is working to increase opportunities.

Pelocity is operating on a grant to connect veterans in Florida with career opportunities; it hopes to expand it nationwide while working with WWP. One of the benefits for warriors is starting on the assessment while they’re beginning their transition out of the military, giving them a head start on their next career.

“Pelocity also looks at the future of careers,” Pollan points out. “You don't want a job that’s going away in 10 years.”

To learn more about how WWP’s programs and services connect, serve and empower wounded warriors, visit newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org and click on multimedia.

Source: Wounded Warrior Project