Being an amateur historian, one of the most amazing phenomena I’ve ever noticed is the perception of the veteran. During Vietnam, treatment by their fellow citizens was unspeakable, but in today’s world, the veteran is treated with incredible deference and respect. I have my opinions on the shift of perception, but best for another time. The point is, mention a cause that involves veterans and most Americans are already on board emotionally. Mix a veteran cause and a company asking for money, and you have a potentially successful Regulation CF. Because emotion is key.
SkillMil is connecting returning veterans with jobs. According to the company, 1.5 million veterans are coming into the labor market in the next 5 years. Companies are actively seeking veterans because of their military experience and obvious personal characteristics a military career provides, ie discipline. And yet, veterans have trouble finding jobs. SkillMil’s perspective on the issue? Traditional job sites do not effectively match jobs with military training and jobs. Hiring managers typically discount, or give no credit for experience obtained in the Military, because it’s described with complex acronyms and unrecognizable jargon. Corporate and military realities are very different. veterans often expect the military pre-planned career management and are used to a military personnel office responsible for placing them in their various assignments.
Fellow veteran Noel Gonzalez founded SkillMil to solve this problem. SkillMil is an end-to-end solution connecting veterans to jobs. What’s really cool about this company is being spin off of SRI International, the company that created the computer mouse, SIRI, and the ultrasound machine. And it’s working with Amazon and American Airlines already.
It’s this simple. Once a veteran is on board s/he fills out their personal information, the platform translates that into a resume, matches company with veteran, and if hired, SkillMil assists for smooth transition. But it doesn’t stop there. Veterans can get involve themselves in professional networking, and get ongoing career couching.
Many veterans are coming home with severe PTSD, and are having a tough time adjusting. Work helps with that. Giving a sense of purpose and belonging similar to being in the military, work can save lives. In American Sniper, Chris Kyle was unable to cope with not being in the military, and helping his team. His purpose was in the battlefield not home. It wasn’t until he realized he can help his fellow veteran at the VA that he found peace and happiness.
So far SkillMil has raised $15,390 from 28 investors. With 86 days left, they’re seeking a minimum of $50,000. Click SkillMil on Republic to invest.
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