Helping Veterans Make The Transition To Civilian Life

OTTAWA, Nov. 9, 2015 /CNW/ - When Greg*, 33, was deployed with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan, he worked in one of the most demanding professions in the world. His rigorous military training made him a highly motivated individual who set strong goals for himself.

After returning to Canada, Greg was at a bit of a loss about the next stage of his work life—transitioning to a civilian job. Military training and experience instill a mind-set of working toward an objective until it is achieved, no matter how difficult the challenge. Greg focused on this new career goal, working closely with Canadian Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Services (CVVRS).

Canada's Veterans and service men and women are known around the world for their skills, abilities and expertise. The skill sets these Veterans acquire through their military service are directly transferable to the civilian workforce—skills in areas like planning, teamwork, communication, management and leadership. Many Veterans have received advanced training in a variety of skilled trades.

After assessing Greg's skills and military training, CVVRS helped him find training opportunities and connected him with potential employers willing to work with his specific health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, agoraphobia and some physical ailments. Greg also received help from CVVRS with building his résumé, job search techniques and financial supports for training as an agricultural truck technician. Greg landed a job as a truck technician, and has been successfully employed for six months.

CVVRS, delivered on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), is a joint venture of WCG Services and March of Dimes Canada. "The competitive military environment demands that our Veterans be winners. When companies hire former military people, this winner psychology can be harnessed to the task of achieving the business goals of a company," says Darlene Bailey, CEO of WCG Services. "We are so honoured to support Veterans as they transition to the next stage of their career, and to help these men and women live their best lives through employment."

Obtaining meaningful, long-term employment means a higher quality of life for individuals and their families. CVVRS helps Canadian Veterans transfer their distinctive capabilities and the valuable skills they learned in the military to rewarding civilian careers. Operating within a holistic framework, CVVRS delivers real-life supports that open up better futures for Veterans by offering customized, bilingual services that limit or remove barriers to a Veteran's ability to function in their home, community and workplace. CVVRS also works with employers to help them capture the talent Veterans have to offer.

Together, WCG Services and March of Dimes Canada bring more than 55 years of combined experience providing comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services and a national network of service providers and experts to ensure the best support for Veterans and their families. WCG and March of Dimes Canada are honoured to have been delivering vocational rehabilitation and assistance services for VAC to thousands of Veterans since 2009.

* Name changed to protect confidentiality.

SOURCE March of Dimes Canada

Reporters--For additional information on Remembrance Day articles about services to Veterans or for comment on the challenges Veterans face transitioning to civilian jobs, please contact: Tricia Gueulette, National Contract Manager, Canadian Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Services (CVVRS), 613-422-2406, [email protected], www.cvvrs.com