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

Alohalani
Pickett
Women Veteran Outreach Coordinator
Department of Veteran Affairs Benefit Administration

Cheryl Rawls, MPA

Cheryl
Rawls
Director, Winston-Salem, NC, VA Regional Office
Veterans Benefits Administration

Cindi Basenspiler

Cindi
Basenspiler
Executive Director
Charlotte Bridge Home

Julie O'hara-Harvey

Julie
O’hara-Harvey
President
Charlotte Area Liaison Group (CALG)

Kimberly Humphrey

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

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

Robin
Hurley

Alohalani Pickett

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

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

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

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

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

Andrew
Barnes
Diversity Relationship Manager/Corporate Recruiter
Wells Fargo

Keynote
Keynote and Lunch
12:15 p.m. — 12:45 p.m.

Cindi Basenspiler

Cindi
Basenspiler
Executive Director
Charlotte Bridge Home

Paula Broadwell

Paula
Broadwell

Major Tara Dixon, MD

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!

 

Staffing/Development track — $50
Veterans — $25

Register

 

Please email [email protected] with questions, sponsorship requests, and for FREE veterans registrations (veterans with special circumstances).

 

Title Sponsor

Central Piedmont Community College

 

Sponsors

Aerotek
Carolinas Healthcare System
Divas Who Motivate
Omni Hotels & Resort
Snyder's Lance
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Women With Know How