By Wendy Spencer
Initiative will expand career pathways for AmeriCorps, Peace Corps alumni
When I’m traveling across the country, I often hear about how national service is a pathway to education and economic opportunity. National service helps thousands of men and women find their careers, build their skills, and prepare for their future.
Our AmeriCorps members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that they can use for college, loan repayment, or job training. On the employment side, Employers of National Service creates a formal talent pipeline from national service to jobs in all sectors.
During their service, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps participants build hard skills (as educators, counselors, environmental managers, economic development specialists) and soft skills (as mission-driven leaders who focus on outcomes). Working with our partners at Peace Corps, AmeriCorps Alums, and the Aspen Institute’s Franklin Project, Employers of National Service connects these talented national service alumni with employers that value their diverse skills.
And, judging by the reaction in the few short months since the initiative’s start, there are many employers that want AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni on their team. Employers of National Service was launched by President Obama on Sept. 12 as part as part of the AmeriCorps 20th anniversary celebration with an initial group of two dozen organizations, including Comcast and NBC Universal, CSX, Disney, the City of Nashville, and American Red Cross. Today more than 80 employers have already signed on representing the private, nonprofit, and public sectors.
Recent additions include employers focused on tribal youth (Inter Tribal Sports Inc.), technology (eLynx and Global Upside), healthcare (Dignity Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics), and social services (Heart of Los Angeles)— and those are just in California alone! With faith-based (Lutheran Social Services of Nebraska and AVODAH), disability focused (Radio Eye), and education (Noble Network of Charter Schools) organizations, Employers of National Service are as diverse as the national service alumni they are aiming to recruit.
These employers have implemented a variety of specific ways to recruit AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni:
- Many organizations, including City Year, have added a simple check box or question to their job application asking about national service experience.
- Blue Valley Community Action Partnership specifically encourages AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alumni to apply on their job postings.
- Some CEOs have sent letters to their staff encouraging them to recruit national service alumni to their organization.
- Coconino County, Arizona, created a specific webpage to recruit national service alumni.
In addition, KaBOOM! hosted a special recruitment presentation for national service alumni. And Serve Washington saw the number of national service alumni applying for positions double since signing up.
The great thing about this effort is that any organization can join at no cost. In fact, organizations that sign up before Dec. 31 will be counted as charter members of Employers of National Service. We have a goal of 100 charter members, and with more than three weeks remaining we are in sight of that number – but we need your help to reach our target.
If you are an employer, I hope you will consider signing up today. If you are a national service alumnus, I hope you will visit our website to learn about jobs from participating employers. And I hope that everyone will help me spread the word far and wide about the value of the Employers of National Service initiative.
For more information or to sign up, please visit our Employers of National Service webpage.
Wendy Spencer is the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.