Veteran Career Transition Assistance Program

Navigating the civilian job market and landing that first job can be daunting for even the most decorated military veteran and their highly successful spouses.  The civilian job market is very different from the military - different cultures, different expectations and even different ways to communicate.

VetCTAP’s programs and services demystify these differences and help veterans adapt and translate their highly transferrable skills and positive personal attributes in ways that resonate with employers.  Armed with new perspectives and confidence gained from their workshop participation and one-on-one coaching, our VetCTAP graduates are positioned to successfully launch their next life chapter and embark on a new professional career path.   

Offering our workshop series since 2012, VetCTAP (Veteran Career Transition Assistance Program) is San Diego County's premier job search skills training organization for senior level transitioning military, veterans, and spouses/partners. We boast an 85% success rate with over 1000 graduates. Our graduates obtain new careers!

Preparing our heroes for today's workplace

I know that without VetCTAP I would have been lost in my transition journey. Throughout the workshop series, I learned the importance of networking and informational interviews. Understanding job requirements helped me translate my military experience to the position I wanted - using my skills to help other veterans like myself. VetCTAP gave me the confidence and  skills necessary to ace my interview and land my current position.

David Tayamen - Veteran Service Representative, Retired Navy

When I was retiring from the Marine Corps after 20+ years I stared at the cold reality that I still needed a job to provide for my wife and daughter. It was an unnerving time. I attended close to 10 seminars as I prepared for my retirement. However, attending VetCTAP gave me confidence that I did not have before. Through VetCTAP I learned how to wade through the challenging waters of today’s job market - and it made all the difference in my success and my life.

Rico Melendez, System Industrialization Engineer at ASML

After 26 years in the Army, the pressures of transitioning weighed heavily on my mind. Before I attended VetCTAP, my resume writing skills were subpar and outdated. At VetCTAP, I learned the importance of networking, job interview skills, job search strategies, and so much more.  That resulted in interviews and ultimately a successful transition to the civilian workforce. The most important thing I learned from my experience with VetCTAP is that you don’t have to do it alone.

 Lee Jones, Supply Chain Services Manager at OneSource

Employer Testimonial: Mike Mahrenholz, Global Sr. Director of Human Resources | Proficio 

We hire military veterans because they make outstanding employees. They bring a unique set of skills and experiences to the workplace, including leadership, dedication, determination, teamwork, discipline, and they adapt very well to high stress situations. Hiring veterans is very good for business and the overall health and profitability of the organization. By hiring military veterans we show our full support and honoring those who have served their country honorably. Hiring veterans is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do for our business.