David Muir is the leader of the Easterseals’ Veteran Staffing Network (VSN), an innovative program designed to be the first sustainable solution for veteran unemployment. My role on the team is working with businesses to build partnerships with lasting impact. The services our team provide are focused on connecting organizations who desire amazing employees to our veterans and military spouses, using a staffing model. We are dedicated to providing top tier military talent to employers and getting our veterans and their spouses into great career opportunities. Our social mission is to educate service members and their families on the skill of job search. Our robust curriculum of 68 courses and nearly 200 learning objectives covers the entire spectrum of job search. All at no cost to the student. Historically programs like this have been funded by government grants or philanthropy, neither of which is a sustainable funding stream, comes with restrictions on who can access the training and where it is delivered and causes people to “fall through the cracks.” To reach sustainability, the VSN employs a full service placement firm model. Our rates are industry standard (20% fee for direct hire, 90 day guarantee) and a 6 month temp-to-hire with zero conversion fee at the completion of 6 months of hourly work, competitively billed. The unique difference using the VSN vs. other staffing firms is we are a non-profit, only work with people from the military community (vets, guard and reserve, wounded warriors, spouses, dependent children) and every penny invested on VSN services pays for other vets to receive social services and career coaching. Results to Date: The VSN is in its 7th year of operation and our work has helped just over 2,500 veterans and family members find employment in 35 states. The revenues from these placements have provided the infrastructure to provide intensive career coaching services to more than 11,000 people. The VSN also provides subject matter expertise on veteran employment programs to our clients.
