By Janis Whitaker, Executive Director and JBS Vice President

Veteran Career Transition Assistance Program works to increase the veteran employment rate by helping transitioning military, veterans, guard & reserve, and military spouses build personal confidence and enhance their individual economic stability through job search skills training, practical tools, and one-on-one coaching. Their goal is to see veterans employed in the career of their choice, where they can comfortably provide for themselves and their family, and be contributing members of their community. The program serves 140 participants a year and has sustained a 90% success rate of graduates obtaining quality salaried positions in the career field of their choice.

"The difference between Vet CTAP and other transition programs I attended is the focus on the individual career transition and path," said a recent VetCTAP graduate. "Above all VetCTAP helped me realize my potential and provided me the tools necessary to market myself effectively and efficiently. They bring a wealth of knowledge to Veterans, no matter what stage of the transition process they are in. I would recommend this program for anyone who takes their future seriously."

The VetCTAP program concept grew out of the personal experience of Sandra Fichter (former US Army Officer), who is a Human Resources (HR) professional. In her HR role, Ms. Fichter reviewed resumes from transitioning veterans that did not reflect their skills. Ms. Fichter could predict that they would not be selected for jobs they qualified for because they did not effectively communicate their strengths and skills.  This is when the concept of the VetCTAP workshop series was born.

Sandra recruited Sr. Learning and Development expert, Janis Whitaker and other HR professionals to create a job search workshop series. The program was built around three key elements:  one-on-one coaching, utilizing HR professionals as facilitators and coaches, and reaching military members before they leave the service, allowing for a smooth and successful career change.

The VetCTAP workshop series (formerly CTAP) began in 2012 successfully assisting military, veterans, and spouses through their career transition. The program has sustained a 90% success rate of graduates obtaining the career of their choice. This success is not possible without HR and business professionals who volunteer to teach and coach, and donors who share in our passion supporting veterans and spouses in transition.