ORLANDO, Fla. – National Hire a Veteran Day, observed annually on July 25, serves as a poignant reminder to employers nationwide to prioritize hiring individuals who have bravely served our country.
Returning to civilian life and finding a fulfilling job can be challenging for veterans like Jacquelise Etienne. She served in the U.S. Army as a supply specialist at Fort Stewart in Georgia for four and half years.
“I felt alone a lot of times,” she said. “I felt like no one understood. No one could understand what I was going through.”
The mother of two, who was medically discharged in 2012, found CareerSource Central Florida and their Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP). She starts an apprenticeship program with Public Allies in September where she’ll learn the ins and outs of running a non-profit.
“I never thought I’d be in this mindset,” she said. “I never thought I’d be in this space physically and have all these things going for me. It’s amazing to have people in your corner.”
Between DVOP and its Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVER), CareerSource Central Florida served 2,207 veterans from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024. Nearly 300 of them were placed in employment during that time and most of the others received training, upskilling, or support services in other areas.
Anthony Harris, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Gulf War, is one of the representatives who makes sure veterans have the resources they need to transition into the workforce. After being medically discharged following a helicopter accident in Saudi Arabia, he spent over a decade searching for his purpose—a journey he now leverages to mentor fellow veterans.
“I come in to advocate for that veteran,” Harris said. “I shop their resumes and go to different job fairs for them. I think that passion and that ability to really want to help those veterans sets us apart from any other agency.”
For Harris and CareerSource Central Florida, every day is National Hire a Veteran Day.
“It could be generational wealth for them,” Harris explained. “We help homeless veterans as well who have been disconnected from their families and their children. When we help them find employment and give them the resources to find a place to live, that changes everything.”
CareerSource Central Florida was also recently awarded the Purple Star for exceptional service to the veteran community, one of only five workforce boards in the state to receive the recognition.
“I call her a friend now,” Etienne said about her CareerSource representative. “She’s a mentor because she actually gets it. She’s been through some of the same challenges I’ve gone through.”
If you’re looking for employment help and mentorship through CareerSource Central Florida, stop by one of their five locations.