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2013 From Boots to Suits: Empowering Female Veterans’ Transition into the Workforce

2013 From Boots to Suits: Empowering Female Veterans’ Transition into the Workforce

Thank you everyone for your participation in NDC Carolinas’ Inaugural From Boots to Suit, a transition specific adaptation of the Veterans Diversity Summit series. Please read the post event article.

For next year, we plan to expand the focus to include all veterans transitioning into the workplace, with focusing on transition support in for veterans for professionals and more workshops for veterans.

Date

October 7, 2013

Time

8:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.

Location

Omni Hotel (uptown)
132 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC

From Boots to Suits has two tracks of focused trainings, which conclude with a combined networking, lunch, and keynote.

Please click here to download the flyer

Veteran’s Track

This track focuses on helping female veterans successfully transition from the military to the civilian workforce. Information package, book, lunch, and networking included. Training includes a panel discussion, training on understanding and networking in corporate culture, and breakout workshops on various topics.

FOR: Female veterans who are soon-to-be, actively, or recently transitioning from the military to civilian workforce, as well as ALL veterans who would like to attend.

Recruiting, Staffing, and Training professionals track

This track provides an in depth understanding of military culture, reasons to hire veterans, typical training military personnel receive, available local and online resources, as well as recruitment and transition best practices.

FOR: Staffing, recruiting, training, and development professionals who may or may not already have training on recruiting veterans.

Schedule of Events

8:00 a.m. — 8:30 a.m.	Guests arrive and enjoy refreshments
8:30 a.m. — 8:45 a.m.	Greeting and event kickoff by Dennis Kennedy
Veterans’ Track
Panel Discussion 8:45 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.	We begin by hearing from a group of diverse women veterans who have successfully made the transition into the civilian workforce. They have a variety of backgrounds and will provide help to the audience by elaborating on what they have seen work and not work in their experiences. Alohalani Pickett Women Veteran Outreach Coordinator Department of Veteran Affairs Benefit Administration Cheryl Rawls Director, Winston-Salem, NC, VA Regional Office Veterans Benefits Administration Cindi Basenspiler Executive Director Charlotte Bridge Home Julie O’hara-Harvey President Charlotte Area Liaison Group (CALG) Kimberly Humphrey VA Preforeclosure Manager, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Secretary, Wells Fargo Veterans’ Team Member Network
Resume’ Writing 9:30 a.m. — 10:05 a.m.	During this time participants will either listen to a presentation on how to update and optimize resumes OR they will join a small group for one-on-one help with an already prepared resume’. Julie O’hara-Harvey President Charlotte Area Liaison Group (CALG)
Break	10:05 a.m. — 10:15 a.m.
Available Resources 10:15 a.m. — 10:50 a.m.	There are a variety of local, online, and governmental resources available to organizations and veterans. You will hear from organizational representatives about their organizations with a brief breakdown of services they provide.
Discussing Disabilities 10:50 a.m. — 11:20 a.m.	Discussing disabilities can often seem like a daunting task. In this session the veterans will learn about negotiating needs with human resources as well as best-practices for when and when not to discuss details with coworkers. Robin Hurley Alohalani Pickett Women Veteran Outreach Coordinator Department of Veteran Affairs Benefit Administration
Thriving in a Corporate Culture 11:20 a.m. — 11:55 a.m.	The capstone of this session is designed to ensure veterans understanding the basics of corporate cultures. Veterans will learn about navigating bureaucracy, utilizing resources, and building alliances. Cindi Basenspiler Executive Director Charlotte Bridge Home
Recruiters’ Track
Understanding Military Culture 8:45 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.	We begin with an overview of the culture of our armed services. By gaining insights into the environments the veterans have thrived in, we will help you to understand how to help them thrive in their new setting. Colonel Philip C. Foster Owner and President Supply Needs LLC
Why Hire Veterans? 9:30 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.	Yes, it is “the right thing”, but it’s also practical for a variety of reasons which will impact your bottom line. For example did you know veterans have lower turnover, fewer unplanned absences, and provide the organization with versatile leadership abilities. David Smith Vice President, Staffing Manager Bank of America
Occupational Transitions – Skills veterans have, specific job title transfers 10:00 a.m. — 10:30 a.m.	Most veterans receive advanced training on a variety of topics; however, the terms are often confusing and can vary from branch to branch. This session will elaborate on how to understand jargon, utilize online resources effectively, as well as an overview of skills which should be present on virtually any veteran resume’ Colonel Philip C. Foster Owner and President Supply Needs LLC
Break	10:30 a.m. — 10:40 a.m.
Brief Overview of Resources 10:40 a.m. — 11:10 a.m.	There are a variety of local, online, and governmental resources available to organizations and veterans. You will hear from organizational representatives about their organizations with a brief breakdown of services they provide.
Best Practices 11:10 a.m. — 11:55 a.m.	The capstone of this track focuses on going into more depth on how to successfully recruit and transition veterans into the workplace. Andrew Barnes Diversity Relationship Manager/Corporate Recruiter Wells Fargo
Keynote
Keynote and Lunch 12:15 p.m. — 12:45 p.m.	Cindi Basenspiler Executive Director Charlotte Bridge Home Paula Broadwell Tara Dixon
Networking 12:45 p.m. — 1:15 p.m.	Join us for speed networking. The female veterans have just received a plethora of resources to help them with the application process and recruiters have just learned best-practices and insights into military culture. By immediately putting these skills to use you’ll not only gain additional insights and retain more information, you’ll be able to directly access the positions or qualified employees you’re searching for!