JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
What began in 2016 with just six participants has since grown to 540 members from over 425 organizations and has helped hundreds of military service members transition into civilian careers.
“In 2024, we shared over 260 events through the Workforce & Transition Alliance at JBSA,” said Jose Ontiveros, Joint Base San Antonio’s SkillBridge/Career Skills Program manager and Workforce & Transition Alliance co-chair. “We also signed memorandums of understanding with 18 organizations and have five more currently in the works.”
A highlight among last year’s events was the Hiring Our Heroes Career Summit, an annual event which brings the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to San Antonio to offer informational sessions and a job fair for transitioning service members, military spouses, working age dependents, and veterans, according to Serafina De Los Santos, 502d Force Support Group executive director and Workforce & Transition Alliance chairperson.
“The 2024 event, held at the University of the Incarnate Word Aug. 7-8, brought in 509 attendees and resulted in 336 job offers made on-site!\,” she said.
The Workforce & Transition Alliance not only helped military members find jobs in 2024, participants also found solutions to issues affecting service members.
“The group entered into a Partnership with the City of San Antonio, Workforce Solutions, and JBSA to deliver services in the Miliary and Family Readiness Centers,” De Los Santos said. “This one-of-a-kind program connected San Antonians and military affiliated members to $110 million in education, training, and quality jobs.
“Another partnership with the City of San Antonio and Pre-K 4 SA offers free full-day pre-kindergarten for eligible 3- and 4-year-olds living in the city of San Antonio,” she said. “This partnership extends services to our military-affiliated population.”
“Since the Alliance’s inception, it has saved the Department of Defense more than $2.98 million in unemployment compensation benefits through SkillBridge/Career Skills participation and nearly $50,000 in emergency relief for Career Skills Program participants.”
For more information on the JBSA’s SkillBridge/Career Skills Program, call the program office at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston (Last name A-M), 210-488-4119; JBSA-Fort Sam Houston (Last Name N-Z), 210-984-2664; JBSA-Lackland, 210-563-8223; or JBSA-Randolph, 210-727-1281.
Employers and organizations interested in participating in the Workforce & Transition Alliance at JBSA can call 210-221-2632 for more information.