Jacksonville, FL-based Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has recently partnered with JEA to connect wounded veterans with new career opportunities. 

Also based in Jacksonville, JEA is Northeast Florida’s non-profit, community-owned utility that serves an estimated 458,000 electric, 341,000 water and 264,000 sewer customers.

JEA already has a talent pool that includes veteran backgrounds for 20% of its workforce, according to WWP. The Jacksonville utility provider looked to expand that veteran employment base by meeting with nearly 20 warriors at WWP headquarters. JEA’s apprenticeship program can lead warriors to new careers.

“I think it’s a great thing they have these apprenticeship programs, not just for veterans, but for everybody to seek a career,” says Mike Couey, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a WWP supporter. Couey recently attended the gathering with his son, who’s also an Army veteran. 

“It’s always good to see companies out there that are actually supporting our veterans and providing them with opportunities,” his son, Dalton Couey, adds. 

Hiring veterans in the civilian workforce gives organizations coachable team players with specialized skill sets that are an asset to any team. WWP career counseling services are free of charge for warriors and employers. 

 “They have more than just electric. It’s water, it’s forestry, it’s biology - it’s more than just one opportunity,” points out Princess Salley, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a JEA representative who discussed the opportunities that extend beyond what you might consider for a utility company.

Salley further notes how she learned a lot from JEA, including when to look for new jobs with the company. "They post positions every Friday, so I will be looking for opportunities.”

Fellow Navy veteran Deja Grissom shares, too, how she was interested in a chance at a new career. She says she was seeking “just something different,” and appreciates the help WWP has provided.

“Resume help, interview help, I get emails every week about activities and things to build people up because it can be kind of lonely when you are getting out; it’s a hard transition time,” says Grissom.

For Dalton Couey, he’s ready for the help from WWP: “I’m looking forward to working with them to improve my resume and any other ways I can stand out to employers.”

For more information about WWP and its programs, log onto woundedwarriorproject.org.