By Margo Greenman
Coming home from war and making the transition back to regular life can be difficult for both soldiers and their families. For veterans and military families enduring the emotional and mental hardships associated with this change, regaining a sense of normalcy can be a challenge. However, for veterans and military families living in the South Puget Sound, Goodwill’s Veteran Services Operation: GoodJobs program has teamed up with local businesses to make the transition into the workplace a little bit easier.
Providing job placement services, counseling, career testing and more, Operation: GoodJobs is a free resource designed to help post 9/11 veterans and their families make a healthy and successful transition from the military into civilian life. Working with hundreds of local businesses, Operation: GoodJobs not only provides veterans and their families with the resources they need to help kickstart their job search, but through a variety of partner sponsored events, they are able to provide unique opportunities that put individuals face-to-face with potential employers as well.
Among Operation: GoodJobs’ many partners, Starbucks is one business that has gone above and beyond in providing job opportunities to military veterans and their families. This past fall, Starbucks announced that they would be launching a “comprehensive hiring platform for veterans and active duty spouses,” which included the launch of a Starbucks Community Store in Lakewood, Wash., near Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Staffed by veterans and their families, 10 cents from every sale made at the community store goes directly to help fund the services that Operation: GoodJobs provides to the community.
But Starbucks involvement with Operation: GoodJobs doesn’t end there. Goodwill’s Veteran Services Manager, Mike Tassin, says Operation: GoodJobs does many shared events with Starbucks, including the upcoming Starbucks Career Resource Day on Saturday, Apr. 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tassin says events like this are more than just about jobs, they’re about education.
Like a job fair, Starbucks Career Resource Day puts individuals directly in contact with recruiters and business professionals. But what makes this event so unique is that it also allows attendees to participate in mock interviews, work on their resumé writing skills, attend an educational info session led by Starbucks Military Recruiter, Tom Tice, and more. In addition, the event allows veterans and their families to gain perspectives. “Starbucks is more than just baristas and coffee, they have marketing, lawyers, IT – anything you can think of, they have,” says Tassin. “People can come to the event and ask a Starbucks employee what it’s like to work at Starbucks, and get the point of view from so many more than just the barista.”
The event is also a beneficial training tool for individuals who may not even be interested in a career with Starbucks, as it provides guests with insight into what recruiters in a specific field look for in future employees. “The byproduct of this event is that someone gets a job. But the main focus is the education and career training,” explains Tassin.
Tassin, who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army for eight years, is passionate about helping veterans and their families as they transition into civilian life. Having first-hand experience as a veteran entering the workforce, he is able to apply his own experience to the events he coordinates and the services Operation: GoodJobs provides. “Everything we do at Goodwill is free for everyone. For the military programs, you have to be a veteran, spouse or dependent of a military or veteran. You can come to an orientation to schedule a time for free mental health, resume writing, and other career and education training,” explains Tassin. Walk-in orientations are available at the Milgard Work Opportunity Center every Friday at 9:00 a.m.
Veterans and military families are encouraged to attend the upcoming Starbucks Career Resource Day on April 26. Even if a veteran or their family isn’t interested in a career with Starbucks, the event will provide a flavor for the types of events hosted by Operation: GoodJobs and their partners, and is a great networking opportunity for veterans and their families to meet other members of the military community transitioning into civilian jobs. RSVP ahead of time – attendees of the event who RSVP receive a free cup of coffee. To find out more information about the upcoming Starbucks Career Resource Day, or to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page, here.
For more information on the services and resources provided by Goodwill’s Veteran Services and Operation: GoodJobs programs and to learn more about other upcoming events, visit their website here, or stop by the Milgard Work Opportunity Center on Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
Veteran Services
Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region
714 S 27th Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
(253) 573-6653
