SYRACUSE — The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and a group of other partners have launched an online hub, called VetNet, to help veterans with their transition to civilian life. VetNet combines the resources of the institute, the nonprofit Hire Heroes USA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes […]
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SYRACUSE — The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and a group of other partners have launched an online hub, called VetNet, to help veterans with their transition to civilian life.
VetNet combines the resources of the institute, the nonprofit Hire Heroes USA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative. The hub is hosted online by Google+ at VetNetHQ.com.
“One of the most complex challenges facing this community is the sheer volume of resources available to help with the transition,” says Carrie Laureno, Google audience evangelist and founder of the Google Veterans Network.
VetNet aims to create a single, easy-to-navigate location where veterans and their families can access a wide array of resources.
The site is separated into three tracks. The first involves basic training and is coordinated by Hire Heroes. Veterans can get help with writing a resume and connect to a database with more than 1 million jobs aimed at them.
Hiring Our Heroes provides a second track for those trying to determine what industries or companies might be right for them. Veterans can connect with industry experts and get advice from other vets.
The final track is managed by the institute at SU and is aimed at veterans looking to start their own companies.
VetNet is not just a directory, says Mike Haynie, the institute’s executive director and founder, Barnes Professor of Entrepreneurship at SU’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. All three tracks within the site will feature live content like video events with experts.
The events will all be recorded and remain accessible on the site, Haynie adds. The content could include basic career training or advanced college-level work in entrepreneurship.
“I think this is a fundamentally different approach to delivering supportive services to this community,” Haynie says.
The SU institute grew from an entrepreneurship program for veterans that began at the Whitman School. But starting a company from scratch is not for everyone, Haynie notes.
Much of VetNet’s power will come from its ability to help veterans make good, informed decisions, he says.
The institute’s entrepreneur track on VetNet will offer an eight-week cycle of two public events per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday events are entrepreneurship courses covering topics including financing, business planning and more.
The Thursday events offer participants the chance to engage in office hours with experts including successful business owners, lawyers, investors, and more, according to the institute.
One of the hallmarks of all the partners involved in the project is the quality of their programming and level of service they provide, Haynie says. VetNet will allow the groups to reach more veterans than ever and maintain their high-level offerings.
And while VetNet will serve as a valuable resource for veterans, it should also aid organizations and individuals looking to hire or aid veterans.
“What’s unique about this platform is it’s open to the public,” Google’s Laureno says. “The next challenge is figuring out how de we scale this, how do we include other resources beyond these founding partners?”
Organizers want to hear from groups or individuals with more advice, resources, and helpful content for veterans, she says.
Contact Tampone at ktampone@cnybj.com