Fox 13 Tampa Bay showcased the Tampa Bay Chamber's Operation Partnership. News Anchor Mark Wilson showed viewers how the program helps service members transition from military careers to civilian careers, telling the story through the eyes of two veterans: Chamber Member, business owner and longtime retiree from the US Army Corp of Engineers Paul Huszar and recent Army retiree Bill Greer, now in Operation Partnership.
"Yes, it can be very difficult," said Greer, who hopes to transfer his leadership and analytical skills from the Army to the banking and finance industry here in the Tampa Bay Region. "Number one, just working the acronyms out of your vocabulary and how to relate that to a corporate leader or a corporate manager who does not understand that language, and even in the corporate environment..." he explained.
Greer and Huszar were interviewed during the most recent session helping participants explore new career paths that make the most of their skills and their passion, and not necessarily limited to their military jobs. Huszar, a speaker in the afternoon session of Operation Partnership, delivered a powerful message that's important for local businesses to hear as well. "We learned how to be an adult based on the cultures, norms and values of the US military, which is all about the team and not about the individual. Then, when you transition out, what's it about? It's about me. It's about the individual. I have to advertise myself. I have to promote myself. I have to establish a network." The perfect candidate for the role and your company's culture may be right in front of you, but the hiring manager may mistake the team-mindset for lack of skill sets.
It's what keeps the busy business owner of VetCor coming back to the Chamber as a guest speaker, helping train veterans and soon-to-be veterans how to change that mindset and articulate their worth during those game changing job interviews.
The Chamber's Vice President of Member Engagement Katie Lopez was also interviewed about the program that's been helping military families start new lives for over a decade. "I think one of the most difficult aspects for a transitioning service member is understanding that new identity that they're creating in the civilian world, and then learning how to leverage that professional network to find those opportunities," said Lopez during the Fox 13 report.
To see the full TV story, click here. To learn more about the Chamber's Military Programming and initiatives, visit our website.