Recapping the 2024 SAME Career Transition Workshop

New Careers for Transitioning Veterans

The 2024 SAME Career Transition Workshop held February 14-16, 2024, was our most successful workshop ever helping to find new careers for transitioning veterans. More than 65 jobseekers met in person with representatives of over 40 top-tier recruiters eager to fill open positions with experienced and talented transitioning, or unemployed military professionals.

This year, SAME partnered with NextOp, a non-profit organization connecting veterans and military members to career opportunities. Their goal is to bridge the gap between the military and industries in need of diverse and skilled talent, specifically for mid-level enlisted personnel. This unique event was free for SAME members or NextOp applicants who are transitioning military or currently unemployed.

CTW 2024 kicked off in January before the in-person event in Linthicum Heights, MD, with online pre-event training sessions. For job seekers, the virtual webinars and discussions included three webinars. “Finding Your Fit,” which discussed the current job market and how to consider your place within it. “Resumes & LinkedIn in 2024,” provided some basic tips and insights for resumes and strategies for LinkedIn. Veterans of past years’ CTW shared advice and their experiences in the job market in the “20/20 Hindsight Panel.” For recruiters, “Your Next Great Hire” rounded out the informative series. You can catch up on missed virtual programs here.

Applicants could reach out to mentors who volunteered their time to help guide job-seekers through the process and answer any questions. Participants uploaded their resumes and chose interview times with the companies, agencies or institutions they preferred. Wednesday afternoon all were welcomed with a happy hour networking event.

On Thursday morning, a welcome session began the day, led by Col. Sal Nodjomian, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), and Maj. Gen. Mike Wehr, P.E., USA (Ret.), SAME Executive Director. The session kicked off a full day of interviews with prospective employees. Open interview time slots were quickly taken by the attendees. A casual lunch offered an opportunity for attendees to network and take advantage of the headshot studio where they could have a professional photo taken. The interviews then continued into the afternoon. Friday’s interviews filled the first half of the day, with a networking lunch marking the end of the workshop.

This year, the event boasted a recruiter lineup that included more government agencies, private industry and educational institutions than ever before. Career Transition Workshop was an incredible opportunity for transitioning professionals to meet face-to-face with companies looking to hire skilled employees, and SAME and its partners are already looking for ways to improve and expand the workshop for subsequent years.