U.S. military veterans often face challenges when transitioning to civilian employment after leaving the service. Sometimes their skills and experiences don’t directly translate to civilian jobs — and employers might not fully understand the value of military experience or how it applies to their industry. Some veterans may need to undergo additional training or education to meet the standards required for civilian jobs, which can be time-consuming and costly.
To help with the transition, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and some employers offer programs to help veterans find a new career by providing training, resources, and support specifically tailored to veterans' needs. We learn about one here in Florida that began in 2016 when two employees with the University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences decided that helping veterans possibly find a path to a new career in agriculture would be a great fit, so they created the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program.
Created in 2016, the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program (VFAP) is a paid internship that exposes veterans to agriculture production practices to help them transition into civilian jobs. More than 100 veterans have completed the program and 85% of them have gone onto jobs in the ag sector.
Click here to learn more about Veterans Florida.
Click here to learn more about the Department of Defense's Skillbridge Program.
Guests:
Dr. Gary Vallad, Professor of Plant Pathology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma
Simon Bollin, Agribusiness Development Manager at the UF/IFAS Extension office in Hillsborough County
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