NJ Transit continues partnership with Edge4Vets to connect veterans to jobs
A coalition of partners, led by New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), continues to connect New Jersey veterans, National Guard members, transitioning military service personnel and their spouses to careers in the transportation sector.
"I would like to again commend NJ Transit and its President and CEO Kevin Corbett for their dedication to making the Edge4Vets program a continued success for veterans learning to apply skills they acquired throughout their military careers and applying them to civilian life,” said NJ Transit Board of Directors Vice-Chair Cedrick Fulton. “Our veterans have a wealth of knowledge and experience that they can bring to public or private sector employment. As an Air Force veteran myself, I can attest to the importance of engaging veterans as they adjust to civilian life, and what an enriching experience that adjustment can bring to the individual and the corporate culture that welcomes them.”
“NJ Transit is honored to be leading the effort to continue the Edge4Vets program in New Jersey,” added Corbett. “This program not only gives NJ Transit the opportunity to hire the highest caliber employees, it also helps our nation’s veterans find fulfilling, meaningful employment at NJ Transit.”
NJ Transit says it is the first organization in New Jersey to partner with Edge4Vets and it first joined forces with Edge4Vets in February. More than 50 veterans participated in the first series of workshops, and NJ Transit notes it is proud to have recently hired what it hopes will be the first of many Edge4Vets participants as a new bus operator.
The latest program will be presented in two 90-minute Zoom sessions beginning Oct. 21 and Nov. 4, and is offered through the Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University in New York. The goal is to help military service personnel prepare for success in the civilian workplace, then gain connection to HR professionals who can guide them to land good jobs that can lead to great careers. Participants who miss the first session may still attend the second session.
The Edge4Vets course allows veterans the ability to work at their own pace to refine their PLAN4SUCCESS. Service personnel, including veterans, learn how to translate their military strengths into tools for civilian success then get connected to HR reps for employment opportunities.
The program has been implemented in eight states throughout the nation since its introduction in 2011. Partner companies and government agencies participating in the program have included banks, pharmaceutical companies, media companies, airports and more – all of which have used the program to accelerate veterans into their organizations to strengthen their workforces.
More than 1,500 veterans and service personnel have taken the program, and up to eight out of 10 candidates have earned jobs.
Recruitment of veterans for the training is supported by New Jersey Department of Labor and the system of One Stops, colleges, including Montclair State and Rutgers, USO, the Veterans Administration and others under the guidance of Edge4Vets.
NJ Transit recruiters provide support during the workshops to help participants identify their strengths, craft their personal PLANS4SUCCESS and gain an “edge” to get hired on bus, rail and administrative teams.