The document discusses challenges that military personnel and reservists face when transitioning to the private sector workforce, specifically related to a lack of communication skills. It proposes several ideas to address this issue, such as requiring communication courses for enlisted military, having recruiters review resumes during exit training, and giving incentives to employees who refer qualified reservist candidates. One highlighted idea is to design a certification program based on the knowledge and skills needed to successfully transition from the military to the private sector.

1. IDEAS ASSOCIATED WITH
PRIVATE SECTOR WORKFORCE
TRANSITIONAL CHALLENGES
FACED BY FORMER MILITARY
PERSONNEL OR RESERVISTS
Dr. Brenda Nelson-Porter
August 9, 2013
Design Thinking Action Lab, Stanford University

2. GREAT IDEAS

3. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Based on the data collected from two interviews,
the following problem statement emerged:
The general problem focuses on the lack of communication skills obtained at the
Bachelor’s-level and during military schooling or training that relate to the private
workforce. The specific problem focuses on not having the communication know-how
(being flexible) to appropriately (a) translate military knowledge and skills to prospective
private sector employers (b) and approach the concerns of clients in the private sector.

4. GREAT IDEAS

5. IDEA GENERATION
• Military make it mandatory for officers to obtain a communication certification
• Make it mandatory for enlisted personnel to take communication courses
• Hold networking events with military and civilian personnel on base
• Conduct formal exit training to include discussing communication skills
• During military exit training, have former private sector recruiters review resume
• Base the exit training on the job descriptions of DoD workers
• Base the exit training on the job descriptions of interested private sector positions

6. IDEA GENERATION
• Military make arrangements for exiting military personnel to attend job fairs
• Make arrangements for exiting military personnel to attend job workshops
• Make arrangements for exiting military personnel to attend conferences
• Assist military personnel with getting a paid position
• Assist military personnel with getting an internship
• Encourage military personnel to keep their GIBill
• Assist military personnel with getting enrolled in college

7. IDEA GENERATION
• Recruiters make arrangement for military candidates to view the base
• Make arrangement for military candidates to intern on base
• Survey military candidates on military terminologies
• Survey military candidates about the positions in the military
• Assist with restructure of ASVAB test based on findings from survey
• Share the benefits of being and hiring a reservist to corporations
• Military restructure A-school based on the feedback from the survey results

8. IDEA GENERATION
• Teachers assign high school students a paper to compare both sectors
• Can take students to tour the military base and then corporation to conduct a
comparative analysis
• Parents help children choose between the careers by explaining the benefits
• Can take children to air shows on base
• Military personnel can return to communities to network with students
• Can be guest speakers to explain the transition

9. GREAT IDEAS

10. IDEA GENERATION
• Potential recruits consider working as civilian before joining the military
• Participate in JROTC in high school and ROTC in college
• Military personnel who are considering leaving the military, look at the
benefits of becoming a reservist
• Review the job descriptions of DoD workers
• Review the job descriptions of interested private sector positions
• Take college courses related to their interests
• Join a professional association that relates to their interest
• D

11. IDEA GENERATION
• Leaders of professional associations, consider designing a program to
help military personnel transition to the private sector
• Program to include communication knowledge and skills
• Hold networking events for military personnel
• Invite speakers who have traveled this road
• Hold networking events with military personnel
• Design a certification / designation based on the transitioning that is recognized
by private sector

12. IDEA GENERATION
• Private sector employers, consider designing an internal program to recruit
former active military personnel
• Consider an internal company sponsor for the new personnel who is a reservist
• Be patient with former military personnel and current reservist
• Have lunch with new personnel/reservist
• Accompany new personnel /reservist to meetings, seminars, conferences
• Give cash incentive to seasoned employees who reservist who refer qualified
reservist to the company

13. IDEA GENERATION
• Researchers, research other military Branches and Guards
• Research the percentage of reservists enrolled in college
• Research the percentage of reservists enrolled in college have taken a
communication course
• Research the percentage percentage of reservists who do not have another job or
full-time job in the private sector
• Research the percentage of part-time reservists and college graduate who went full-
time active duty after college

14. GREAT IDEAS

15.  During military exit training, having
former private sector recruiters review and
update the resume to reflect the language
of the private sector position helps the
military personnel with the transitioning
through a written communication process
IDEA SELECTION
RESUME REVIEW REFERALS
 Giving cash incentive to seasoned employees
who are reservist and who refer qualified reservist
to the company may help close the communication
gaps, because the reservist more likely has
explained to the potential incoming reservist the
culture of the company and the employee is
familiar with candidate’s military position

16. CERTIFICATION
BASED ON TRANSITIONING
 Promotes learning,
Promotes networking,
Give recognition in the field of
study that a certain level of
knowledge has been identified
IDEA SELECTION

17. GREAT IDEAS