Welcome to the Veterans’ Employment Services (VES) Newsletter. Our mission is to assist you and your family secure meaningful careers in Michigan.

The concept of veterans helping veterans is a trademark of the VES team and one of the keys to its success. Veterans face many challenges when transitioning out of the military – finding meaningful employment should not be one of them.

• Veterans in need of employment assistance should contact the nearest Michigan Works! One-Stop Service Center by calling 800-285-WORKS (9675) or visiting MichiganWorks.org.
• More information about Veterans’ Employment Services is available at Michigan.gov/VES.
• Register today and start your job search at Pure Michigan Talent Connect at MiTalent.org.

Start by looking at Michigan’s Job Outlook, where you’ll find growing job fields including:

• Skilled Trades: Carpenters, Industrial and Operating Engineers
• Community: Family Councilors, Social Workers and Community Service Managers
• Medical: Nurses, Health Service Managers and Physical Therapist
• Education: Secondary and Middle School Teachers 
• Financial: Accountants, Auditors and Cost Estimators  

Next, explore your options with the recently updated Pathfinder! You’ll find:

• Career Research and Exploration Resources
• Skills Assessment
• Training and Apprenticeship Opportunities

Pathfinder uses state-specific career and education data and allows you to compare paths to find the best fit for you. Go to Pathfinder.MiTalent.org to get started!

Don't miss out on FREE hour-long classes to learn the difference between civilian and federal resume writing and more! The next event takes place on Tuesday, October 5 at 11 a.m.

This ongoing series is offered through a partnership between Michigan Veterans' Employment Services and Michigan National Guard Family Programs.

Register for the event using this link.

Also, check out VES' Employment Planning Tip of the Day at Veterans’ Employment Services Tip of the Day: Fine tuning your resume - YouTube

Rayetta Wyatt – Veterans' Career Advisor, Flint

How has your military experience helped you in your position as a Veterans' Career Advisor (VCA)?

While in the military, my job as an Administrative Specialist (71L) required effective communication to in-process soldiers, prepare their paperwork, check for accuracy within the packets, and communicate with my team if there were any errors or paperwork left out, which means we worked effectively as a team to accomplish those nightly missions. As a Veterans’ Career Advisor, working with our team of partners, colleagues and our customers is similar and is essential in making the necessary connections, and providing the most appropriate services respectfully and attentively.

What should Veterans expect when they meet with a VCA?

Veterans should expect integrity, and outstanding customer service from their Veterans’ Career Advisors. We have some of the most wonderful VCAs who are dedicated and passionate in their areas of expertise and sharing the wealth of knowledge they bring to this organization. As VCAs and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives, we take pride in extending that warm handshake of compassion to our sisters, brothers and families and letting them know we're here and dedicated to assisting our Veterans who are experiencing barriers to employment. Veterans have so much to offer, and the VCAs would like to be that building block connecting Veterans with the appropriate resources and career guidance moving them closer to their career goals.

What resource do you recommend to Veterans seeking employment? 

I'd start out by directing our Veterans to their local Michigan Works! Agencies. We work in partnership with the American Job Centers (One-Stop Service Centers), where there's a host of resources available in one location – whether it’s starting out with attending a resume or job search workshop, looking into training opportunities that create additional marketability, or receiving one-on-one career services. Visiting your local Michigan Works! will be one of the starting points with connecting to a VCA. Networking is very important for Veterans seeking employment, where personal recommendations and connections can be a very resourceful tool when connecting with the right people. Using the appropriate social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+ just to name a few are also useful tools.   

Timothy LaCrosse is a U.S. Air Force Veteran who served from 1981-1985. After his time in the service, Timothy held a full-time job driving a truck until the pandemic when his employer could no longer sustain operations. Timothy was looking to make a career move into heating and cooling or heavy equipment operations.

Timothy was immediately dual enrolled with VES VCA Paul Burke and the MWA Career Team. They were able to assist Timothy in creating an employment plan. Once complete, Timothy was introduced to VES LVER Kendal Kettle. Together, they began the process of searching for positions in heating and cooling, and heavy equipment operations in the Delta County area. Timothy put out applications with De Hooghe & Viau Plumbing Heating and Delta County Airport as a heavy equipment operator. Once he applied for the positions, Kendal immediately began the advocacy process with both companies and secured interviews with both employers.

Leading up to the interviews, Paul and Kendal provided extensive interview prep skills. Following both interviews, Timothy was tentatively offered the job with both employers! Because working at Delta County Airport was his dream position, Timothy accepted their offer and began working as a heavy equipment operator on August 16, making $17.25 an hour plus benefits. 

Kalkaska Downtown Development Authority along with the Northwest Michigan Works! hosted a community job fair with employers from Kalkaska, Antrim, Crawford, Grand Traverse and Wexford Counties. The job fair took place on September 8 at the new Village of Kalkaska Pavilion on Railroad Square. Job seekers who attended the event were able to speak directly with employers about the array of openings. 

Shoreline Fruit is seeking to fill several positions to include Team Leaders, Safety, Drivers, Forklift Operators, etc. Shoreline Fruit offers a compressed schedule with 4 days on and 4 days off, along with benefits and competitive wages. 

On September 13-14, Intensive Services Coordinator, Randy Leffel and Veterans Employment Services Regional Manager, Calvitta Collin joined nearly 200 employers who attended the Fort Hood Mega Career Event in Fort Hood, Texas.

The event is designed to provide transitioning service members, retirees and other military job seekers with an opportunity to meet with employers from all over the country. Randy and Calvitta proudly represented VES and spoke with several transitioning service members about the opportunities available in Michigan.