Authored by Nathan Loveland, economic development intern, PLNU student and U.S. Coast Guard veteran
Because San Diego is home to the largest federal military workforce in the country, it is critical that we routinely make efforts to assist service members taking the leap of faith to transition into civilian life. That’s why in February, EDC partnered with University of San Diego’s Graduate School of Business to host the military transition event, Link2 Defense. The event served to connect transitioning military members to local defense contractors and shed light on the job opportunities available across San Diego.
Representatives from local companies General Dynamics NASSCO, ESET, ViaSat, Qualcomm, Sentek, Northrop Grumman and Cubic shared information on company-specific programming for veterans, while some – veterans themselves – shared insight about their transition into civilian careers. Moderated by USD School of Business Executive Director Stath Karras and zero8hundred CEO Sean Mahoney, the back-to-back panel discussions addressed topics including resume building, job hunting and converting military specific jobs/skills into civilian equivalent work.
As an economics student at PLNU, an intern for EDC and a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, I attended Link2 Defense to continue to hone in on my skills as I further my education and pursue a civilian career.
The event was top notch. Representatives from USD gave valuable insight on how maximize VA education benefits in multiple ways. In addition to the panel sessions, the event included small group breakout sessions covering topics like resume building hosted by Manpower, techniques for job hunting and salary negotiation. I attended the salary negotiations seminar and look forward to using these tactics in my future job hunt – Look out, future employer.
After attending Link2, I feel extremely confident in my decision to transition from the military to purse my education and career in the San Diego region. I feel the opportunities provided to San Diego’s veterans are superior in comparison to other cities I’ve lived.