Bridging the Gap: Project: Return to Work’s Mission to Reintegrate Veterans into Civilian Careers

Transitioning from military to civilian life is a tough problem facing many veterans today, with many proposed solutions either not working or not working well enough. Veterans often lack the proper skills demanded by the job market, or they face discrimination due to the disabilities they incurred during their service. These obstacles can lead to unemployment, underemployment, or financial stress. Below, we outline Project: Return to Work’s (R2W) unique approach in reintegrating veterans into civil society.

Project: Return to Work focuses on vocational training to help build up the skills veterans will need to reintegrate into civil society. R2W works with a wide array of career counselors to work with clients to make individualized career plans that align with the clients’ personal skills and interests. Our services also include job search assistance, resume and cover letter writing, and ongoing job placement support. Furthermore, we provide guidance by disclosing any disabilities a client may have so that they can get the accommodations they need. Military spouses are also provided with help to help them navigate any hurdles they may face while their spouses seek employment, such as relocation assistance and networking opportunities. 

Our program has many success stories, many of which can be found on our website, return2work.org. We have placed many veterans in many different industries, leveraging their own personal skills and our connections to these industries. Military spouses also have benefited from our support, finding fulfilling employment that also accommodates their own personal circumstances. 

We look forward to expanding our services to reach and help even more people, as well as to connect with more organizations to help provide employment. We hope to inspire other organizations by sharing our model with them so that they adopt similar approaches to help contribute to a more equitable and supportive employment landscape.

By Farid Ahmadov, STEM Intern