Preparing Placer County veterans for their next mission after military service

For many veterans, leaving the military means more than starting over. It means trying to find a new purpose and a new career.

Now, the Veterans Workforce Alliance is preparing to launch a new app designed to help veterans and transitioning service members connect with jobs across the region.

The Employer-Vet Career Connect app, expected to launch in June, is part of the organization's effort to help veterans navigate the transition from military service into civilian careers.

At PRIDE Industries, assembler Scott MacDonald says the skills he learned during his years serving in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve still guide him every day on the job.

"What you take from the military is they constantly drill into you pay attention to detail, and this is all about detail," MacDonald said.

After leaving the military, MacDonald said finding his next step was not easy. He eventually found a position at PRIDE Industries after learning about the organization's mission to create opportunities for people with disabilities.

For many veterans, that struggle is familiar. According to the Pew Research Center, 47% of post-9/11 veterans say readjusting to civilian life was at least somewhat difficult.

Steve Johnson sees those challenges firsthand. After serving 21 years in the Air Force, Johnson now works with Placer County Veterans Services, helping veterans connect with jobs and resources.

"Sometimes they might be thinking bullets flying and airplanes flying and those types of things," Johnson said. "But the technical side of things, they're kind of missing."

Johnson says many veterans have valuable leadership and technical experience, but their military background does not always translate clearly to employers.

"How can we better capture veteran talent and those transitioning from our military community and get them into great jobs," Johnson said.

That question helped inspire the Veterans Workforce Alliance, a partnership of business leaders, veteran organizations, and community groups focused on helping veterans connect with employers throughout the Sacramento region.

Board Treasurer Marcus Henry said the group believes the new app can help veterans find meaningful opportunities after service.

"As the marketplace changes we need to evolve," Henry said. "As AI gets better we need to obviously update our systems to keep up where the puck's going to be."

For MacDonald, the lessons he learned during military service helped him build a new purpose after leaving the Navy. Now, organizers hope the new app will help more veterans find their next mission after military service.