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Home / News & Insights / How the Hiring Our Heroes Program is Overcoming Underemployment
Transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce is challenging for many veterans. Even with the skills, discipline and leadership qualities they bring, differences in workplace culture, terminology and organizational structure can create a steep learning curve.
Despite a variety of support programs, more than 60% of veterans report feeling underemployed three years after leaving the service. Hurdles such as a difficulty translating their skills to civilian terms and the presence of negative stereotypes can lead them to accept roles that underutilize their expertise. This mismatch contributes to financial strain, diminished self-worth and a 90% higher likelihood of job turnover.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce developed the Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Corporate Fellowship Program to make the transition easier. It pairs active-duty service members in their last six months of duty with mentors in private-sector companies who guide participants through hands-on, role-specific training to build experience relevant to their future civilian careers. The program includes weekly professional development sessions focused on résumé building, interview preparation and networking.
“It’s a wonderful program with proven benefits for participants and partnering companies,” said Angie Guient, Workforce Development Specialist at Haskell. “Since our partnership in 2021, we’ve appreciated the experience and skills these individuals bring. When we recognize potential and align it with a role of interest, the next step is learning how to apply their skills and abilities to civilian positions in a way that supports their professional growth.”
Guient has led Haskell’s fellowship program since 2023 and as a veteran, she understands the trepidation many service members feel during separation from the military.
“It can be a stressful time for individuals and their loved ones,” she said. “Some veterans will have served upwards of 10 years. The amount that can change in the civilian sector during that time, let alone the job market, can feel alienating for someone looking to re-enter that space.”
The biggest obstacle is translating skills and experience from a military context into civilian terms. Military roles are often highly specialized in their operating procedures and vernacular, making it challenging to convey them effectively on a résumé or envision how they fit within a corporate structure.
In January 2024, Haskell welcomed two of its newest HOH fellows. Former Army Engineer Officer Jim Castillo and former Air Force Linguist Khalil Jones shared in a recent interview how their varied experiences led them to Haskell and how they found success through the program.
As an Engineering Officer and Platoon Leader, Castillo was trained to deploy into combat zones where he honed his leadership and problem-solving skills through strategic engineering missions. Initially focused on limiting enemy mobility by weakening their structures, his role expanded to include constructing strategic defensive positions and creating accessible pathways to support U.S. troops’ movement and safety. This experience equipped him to manage complex challenges under high pressure, a skill set he regularly utilizes as an Assistant Project Manager (APM) at Haskell.
“My understanding of leadership, safety and effective communication gave me a huge leg-up in transitioning into the APM role, But I still need to improve my construction knowledge,” Castillo said. “I’ve never had to consider the financials that go into an operation or a project. So, learning to look at everything through the lens of the budget and organizing everything under a completely new framework has been an adjustment. I’m lucky to have mentors who patiently helped me learn all the nuances of project management.”
After several years in the Army, Castillo sought a civilian career and joined Hiring Our Heroes in 2023. With his engineering background informing his search, he connected with Guient, who introduced him to Haskell’s collaborative culture and guided him toward project management.
"Angie made me feel comfortable and understood," Castillo said. "She talked about Haskell’s core values and team dynamics. It just felt like a natural fit. We discussed my military background and how it could apply here. She was genuinely excited about helping me make that transition. That conversation opened my eyes to how my skills could be applied, and I knew Haskell was where I wanted to start this new chapter."
Approaching each challenge with eager curiosity is a credit to Castillo’s approach and is a quality shared by his fellow APM in training, Khalil Jones.
Passionate about language, Jones attended the Defense Language Institute (DLI), and after graduating with honors, he served as an Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst for the USAF. In this role, Khalil applied his expertise in Afghan Pashto to real-time interpretation and analysis during flight missions. He accumulated over 600 hours of airborne experience and played a critical role in intelligence operations.
“My training at the DLI was intensive, but I loved the challenge of learning complex languages and mastering different dialects,” Jones said. “Getting deployed was one of the best experiences in my career. I was forced to push myself further with each mission. I’m always looking for ways to expand my capabilities, so when an opportunity to learn something new or expand the scope of my role presents itself, I take it.”
More than a ferocious academic, Jones transitioned after two years as a Language Analyst to his first leadership position as the Command Language Program Manager, overseeing language training for over 150 aircrew members. In this capacity, he managed scheduling and budgets as he coordinated thousands of training sessions, skills that prepared him well for civilian project management.
Near the end of his military career, Jones accumulated a small real estate portfolio and developed an interest in construction. After finding the Corporate Fellowship program he connected with Guient and discussed how he could apply his leadership and organizational skills in a new industry at Haskell.
"From our first conversation, I felt a strong connection with Haskell," Jones shared. "They recognized the skills I'd built in the military – managing people, resources and timelines – and saw how that could fit into construction project management. Talking with the team, I could tell they shared the same commitment to collaboration and growth. It was clear to me that Haskell was the right place to take this next step."
Data show that veterans who participate in the Hiring Our Heroes Program and similar initiatives report higher satisfaction, career advancement and higher starting salaries, with many experiencing reduced underemployment as they secure roles that fully utilize their skills.
“I believe we can do more to support veterans looking for fulfilling new roles,” Guient said. “To truly make progress, we need more organizations recognizing the potential of veterans and finding roles that bridge their skills effectively. It’s about creating opportunities and providing ongoing mentorship, so veterans have the support they need to find a job and build a meaningful career.”
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