Putting Vets First & Breaking Down Their Unique Barriers to Employment

Highlighting our work with the Falcon Academy

The staffing industry is a very rewarding field, and one of my favorite aspects is helping a job candidate find their ideal career path. It’s also a field that lends itself to giving back to the community. Whether it’s volunteering in a workforce development program or helping job seekers learn how to “dress for success,” there are many opportunities to get involved. Luckily for me, BelFlex encourages its team to seek out ways to do this, and the company has embraced the work Premier Staffing does with the Falcon Academy.

There are multiple challenges for veterans when entering civilian life post-retirement. While the military provides individuals with many necessary soft skills like leadership and communication, it can be difficult to explain in an interview process how the tactical work translates to civilian jobs. Additionally, veterans typically have little experience with the civilian hiring system, creating a barrier to finding employment.

The Falcon Academy was created with these challenges in mind. Established by Arkansas-based consulting and training firm Peregrine, the program offers courses that provide veterans with the skills and certifications necessary to launch their post-military careers. It also offers professional transition assistance and it’s in this capacity that I work closely with the veterans, in partnership with the Central Arkansas Human Resources Association (CAHRA). Over the course of eight weeks, we help participants with a range of job search skills including building quality resumes, setting up social media accounts such as LinkedIn and preparing to meet potential employers. The highlight is when we put their skills to the test with a series of mock interview exercises.

At Premier, we’re committed to bringing together the right people with the right job and we’ve had tremendous success with the military professionals who complete the Falcon Academy training. Recently, we placed two veteran graduates in full-time career positions at different leading manufacturers in the Little Rock area. These moments are so rewarding for all of us. Not only did we have the opportunity to place these extremely qualified veterans in new careers, but we also helped two of our valued clients find highly skilled workers with unrivaled leadership abilities. I would call that a win-win-win.

As a firm believer in the BelFlex mission of connecting people with opportunities, we often help candidates from all walks of life obtain the necessary training to bridge the skills gap. We’re thrilled to partner with organizations like Peregrine and CAHRA in this effort. And to not only help individuals find employment but enable our local businesses to fill positions so they can also be successful, ultimately benefitting the entire Little Rock community.