Florida Is for Veterans

Veterans Florida (Florida Is for Veterans, Inc.) Is a non-profit corporation created by the state of Florida in 2014 to help Veterans fully transition to civilian life in the sunshine state. Our mission Is to attract and retain Veterans to our great state and to make Florida their permanent residence. The signing of house bill 435 furthered that mission by designating Veterans Florida as the state's principal department of defense skillbridge assistance organization. Establishing the nation's first statewide skillbridge initiative Is a major milestone that creates unprecedented opportunities for transitioning servicemembers, builds a talent pipeline for employers, and firmly plants Florida's flag as the top destination for military families. Initiatives like this further prove Florida's leaders are united in our commitment to bolstering the state's workforce with servicemembers who combine their military skills with training opportunities not available anywhere else. Veterans Florida Is backed by the state of Florida. Our board Is appointed by the governor, speaker of the Florida house of representatives, and the president of the Florida senate. Additionally, our staff Is composed of Veterans with experience in state Veterans' programs, economic development, and workforce development. Our unique programs assist Florida businesses recruit, train, and hire Veterans and servicemembers to meet workforce needs.to better serve the needs of veteran job seekers and employers, Veterans Florida maintains the workforce and career services program. This program houses our largest grant program, the Veterans Florida workforce training grant, which reimburses eligible companies for 50 percent of the training cost for every veteran trained, up to $8,000 per employee.the workforce training grant incentivizes Florida employers to hire and retain Veterans who wish to augment their existing skill set developed during military service. The Veterans Florida workforce team actively works with employers to translate military experience into comparable civilian experience requirements. The team educates employers and their human resources teams on the value and capabilities Veterans bring to the workforce.the career services program allows Veterans Florida to actively recruit qualified Veterans to fill positions at companies across the state. Veterans can upload their resume for consideration for any position or apply directly for open positions through the career portal on veteransflorida.org. Veterans services coordinators reach out to provide employment services such as resume assistance, interview preparation, career matching, and counsel Veterans on additional resources available to them. In 2021, the governor signed legislation passed by the legislature to create the nation's first statewide skillbridge initiative. Veterans Florida Is the principal organization to execute the initiative. The department of defense skillbridge program allows transitioning servicemembers, with commander approval and within their last six months of military service, the opportunity to work for a civilian employer. The program affords servicemembers the opportunity to sharpen critical job skills and obtain specialized training, while retaining their full pay and allowances. The goal Is to minimize the employment gap between military separation and beginning their civilian career. Nearly one in four active duty servicemembers and Veterans want to open and operate their own business. Opportunity, freedom, and challenge attract them to business ownership. The Veterans Florida entrepreneurship program offers Veterans virtual and on-site instruction, facilitation, and mentorship designed to meet the veteran where they are in their entrepreneurial journey and accommodate their busy schedule.the Veterans Florida marketing and communications campaign supports the organization's primary goals: career assistance; entrepreneurship training; and promoting Florida's status as the nation's top state for Veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and their families. The marketing team also produces all content and executes all advertising for the Veterans Florida expo each year. The target audience Is servicemembers and Veterans in the 12 months leading up to and following separation from the military.