Partnership with Sodexo Creates Professional Development Training Series for Veterans
Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, in partnership with Volunteers of America, today launched a collection of resources specifically designed to support veterans who may be transitioning to the civilian workforce or seeking to enhance their active duty career opportunities. Central to these resources is a new webinar series, which begins today, developed by Sodexo's Talent Acquisition team.
Strategic partnerships like those between Sodexo and Volunteers of America are essential. While the unemployment rate of veterans (4.2 percent) is actually lower than that for Americans on the whole (5 percent), the youngest group of post-9/11 veterans ages 18 – 24, face an unemployment rate of 5.7 percent. To improve on those numbers requires strategic partnerships that have a well-rounded understanding of transitioning military service members and workforce development.
"By and large there has been nearly a two-year trend in declining unemployment rates among veterans, but there is still a great deal of work to be done," said Steve Cox, vice president, public relations, Sodexo (United States Marine Corps, Retired). "Strategic partnerships with organizations like Volunteers of America can help former service members navigate the common challenges they encounter with career change and job advancement."
Sodexo's Talent Acquisition team developed the new webinar series, which launched today. The company also worked in partnership with Volunteers of America to create a host of resources that address:
- Career Strategy Planning and Networking
- Resume Essentials and Refreshing the Resume
- Interviewing Skills
The series is available through the Volunteers of America national website at: www.voa.org/sodexo-hires-heroes.
"We feel a strong sense of duty to ensure that those who served their country receive the help they need to build strong, successful lives after they return home," said Volunteers of America national president and CEO Mike King. "Because of our partnership with Sodexo, we can provide tools to our veteran clients that not only address their immediate needs, but help them to thrive long-term."
Volunteers of America, one of the nation's oldest and largest human service organizations, serves approximately 40,000 veterans annually through housing and programs tailored to their unique needs. Volunteers of America is especially committed to ending homelessness for those veterans on the street and preventing others from becoming homeless by providing a wide array of well-designed and managed services.
With more than 133,000 employees in North America, Sodexo actively recruits and hires veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard for positions in culinary and food service management, facilities and engineering management, clinical nutrition, environmental services, information technology, as well as sales, accounting, human resource management and numerous other disciplines.
Sodexo delivers more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life. The Fortune Global 500 company is a leader in delivering sustainable, integrated facilities management and foodservice operations.
Learn more about Sodexo at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.
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Contacts:
Samuel Wells, Sodexo, Inc., 301-987-9843, samuel.wells@sodexo.com
David Burch, Volunteers of America, 703-341-5054, dburch@voa.org