Employment & Entrepreneurship — Veterans Collaborative

Employment Resource Network

This page includes upcoming career and employment focused events/workshops, information, and directories of state career and vocational services, veterans employment and training services, community resources, and employers and employee resource groups, along with summit notes.

Massachusetts Career & Vocational Services

The Department of Career Services in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development provides employment opportunities and training programs to veterans and spouses of veterans who died of service-connected disabilities, have a 100% VA rating, or are MIA/POWs, who all receive Priority of Service in workforce programs funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

  • Dedicated MassHire Veteran Service Representatives are available throughout the MassHire Career Center system of employment, training, and placement services, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment & Training Service (DOL VETS).

  • Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists are located in MassHire Career Centers across the state. DVOPs develop job and training opportunities for veterans with service-connected disabilities to help them compete in the job market. They also serve as case managers for veterans receiving VA Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) vocational rehabilitation benefits.

    DVOPs are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. They also play a key role in promoting community and employer support for job and training opportunities, including apprenticeships and on-the-job training, by working directly with the VA, DoD, employers, community-based organizations, and veterans' organizations.

  • The Veterans Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) grant, awarded to the Department of Workforce Development & Division of Career Services, provides funding for short-term training (less than 48 weeks) for eligible veterans, leading to meaningful employment.

    • Amounts vary based on eligibility for other funding sources, generally ranging from $1,200 to $5,000. Grants can be combined with other veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Chapter 115, etc).

    • Contact your local MassHire Career Center’s Veterans Services Representative to apply.

  • The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission offers a Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Massachusetts veterans who are not eligible to receive vocational rehabilitation and employment services through the VA because their disability is not service-connected may be eligible for MRC programs available to all eligible residents with impairments presenting large barriers to employment.

    MRC’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program helps job seekers with with physical, cognitive, intellectual or mental health conditions obtain and maintain a job and manage the workplace. To be eligible for VR, individuals must live in Massachusetts and be eligible to work in the US. You can apply for VR services online or contact the VR Office in your area.

    Individuals must want to work and need VR services to train, find, or keep a job; unemployed or underemployed individuals may also benefit from VR services. Eligibility information is gathered through current schools, physicians, therapists, hospital and other medical records, self report, Social Security Administration, and psychological or neurological evaluation.

DOL Veterans Employment & Training Service

The US Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment & Training Service (DOL VETS) protects employment rights under Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), prepares veterans for meaningful careers, provides employment resources, and promotes employment opportunities to help service members, veterans, and military spouses find employment.

  • Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is a cooperative interagency effort among the DOL, and the DOD, DOE, DHS, and the VA, SBA, and OPM to support transitioning military.

  • Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) provides federal funding to state workforce agencies to hire dedicated staff to provide individualized career and training-related services to veterans and eligible persons with significant barriers to employment and to assist employers fill their workforce needs with job-seeking veterans.

  • Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) is a grant focused exclusively on competitive employment for homeless veterans. HVRP grant recipients place veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, homeless veterans with children, and justice-involved veterans into competitive employment at the local level.

  • National Veterans’ Training Institute (NVTI) provides specialized training and professional skills enhancement for state workforce agencies and service providers staff, focusing primarily on those who help veterans secure long-term employment to ensure those tasked with this critical responsibility have the knowledge and tools necessary to perform their jobs effectively.

  • HIRE Vets Medallion Program (HVMP) is an employment award that recognizes a company or organization’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development.

The Off-Base Transition Training (OBTT) pilot program is an opportunity for veterans, National Guard and Reserve, and their spouses to take control of their career through workshops to help meet their employment goals. These stand-alone workshops can be taken in any order in person in Boston Metro and Central Massachusetts / Worcester or online.

Transition Employment Assistance for Military Spouses & Caregivers (TEAMS) is a series of workshops that extend the Transition Assistance Program to assist military spouses and caregivers as they plan and prepare for their job search. TEAMS workshops are instructor-led and like OBTT workshops, can be taken in any order online.

Community Employment Resource Network

Employment service providers are the backbone of the Employment Resource Network, supporting Massachusetts service members, veterans, and families actively looking for work, career advancement/change, or mentoring in their careers.

Developed by Swords to Plowshares, TOOLBOX.vet is an online library. What You Should Know About Veteran Employment Services helps advocates/providers understand how military training/skills fit into a civilian workplace, how to help veterans frame their skills, and how to apply a culturally-informed approach to hiring and supporting veterans in the workplace.

Employers & Employee Resource Groups

 
 

Veterans can build their resume, search for employment, and access training through the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Career Portal. Employers seeking candidates for open positions can also recruit veterans through the portal at no charge. The portal helps veterans match with civilian jobs that align with their current skills, access training and mentors, and build a resume.

 
 

Candorful provides job interview preparation and practice for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. All coaching sessions are provided live via video conferencing with volunteer interview coaches from a variety of industries.

  • Click here to schedule a 30-minute video meeting with a Candorful Coach to prepare for practice interviews. After the initial intro session, candidates can choose from over 130 interview coaches to complete interview practice sessions.

  • If you have strong experience conducting interviews and are interested in becoming a Candorful Coach, click here to join an upcoming information session.

Past Employment Summits

  • On October 28, 2020, the Veterans Collaborative hosted a virtual community summit titled The Elements of a Successful Veteran Employee Resource Group, organized by Mike Dunford with the Employment Resource Network. We heard from a panel of representatives from several successful corporate ERG programs that have added value to organizations while assisting them to employ, understand and empower veterans in the defense contracting, pharmaceutical, technology, health, and banking industries.

  • On April 3, 2019, the Greater Boston Veterans Collaborative convened a community summit focused on Programs to Assist Veterans with Employment, which was hosted by Brighton Marine.

    In addition to hearing from veterans who have successfully transitioned to learn about the programs and resources they used that had an impact and made a difference, we also heard about some of the programs veterans are working for supporting their fellow veterans in their careers:

  • On April 4, 2018, GBVC convened a Military & Veteran Employment Summit, hosted by Brighton Marine. Facilitated by Mike Dunford, panelists and participants discussed how companies attract, recruit, and most importantly, retain military veteran talent, providing insights into the employer's side of recruiting and addressing retention challenges, along with showcasing organizations that provide support for veterans with employment challenges.

  • On May 11, 2017, GBVC convened an Employment & Entrepreneurship Summit, which was hosted by Brighton Marine. This summit focused on programs supporting employment and entrepreneurship among veterans. We also reviewed RAND’s recent Assessment of Needs, Well-Being, & Available Resources for Veterans in Massachusetts. We heard from:

    • Barry Rosenbloom, TechSandBox VET Program (focused on military entrepreneurs in tech)

    • Chris Pratt, Veteran Entrepreneur Series (programming aimed at connecting, inspiring, and supporting military veterans in their efforts to start business and “take the leap” into entrepreneurship)

    • Christopher Feugill, MassHire, on state, local, federal, and non-profit employment resources available for veterans.

    GBVC also reviewed RAND’s pertinent findings from RAND’s recent Assessment of Needs, Well-Being, & Available Resources for Veterans in Massachusetts. After the speaking program, we had deep dive discussions in breakout groups on veteran entrepreneurship and employment, including discussion of the findings from the RAND report.

Key Topics

  • Outreach and opportunities to find and engage veterans to bring awareness of professional development, internship, and fellowship programs that are available for career growth

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts

  • Educating employers on veteran hiring and maintaining quality control of programs and resource groups that support employees in the military and veteran community

  • Supporting awareness of employment representatives and others supporting personal, professional, and career initiatives of the range of pathways available and encouraging referrals

  • Submitting events to the shared calendar using the tag #employment and other tags so they appear above and on relevant resource or regional pages (ie, #fellowship, #entrepreneurship, #volunteering).

  • Creating space for organizations focused on employment tracks for veterans to connect with each other and strategize on ways to support unique or individualized paths and goals

  • Encouraging employment-focused organizations to also connect job seekers to entrepreneurship programs or training opportunities

  • Ensuring spouses and survivors are aware of military and veteran employment programs that also have programs for them

  • Forming affinity groups to organize and facilitate employment community summits on relevant topics and issues and to collect and share information and resources on this page.

““Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.””
— John F. Kennedy