Veterans ASCEND, a community of The ASCEND Collective, is now an authorized provider of the Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge program, which enables employers to provide internships and pre-apprenticeship opportunities to the over 200,000 Service members who transition from Active-duty service back into the civilian sector each year.

As an authorized SkillBridge provider, Veterans ASCEND is ready to provide an array of industry-specific opportunities to SkillBridge participants. Available to Service members that are 180 days out from their end of active service, the SkillBridge program allows transitioning Service members to get a taste of the civilian workplace, while still receiving their military pay and benefits. Participants can explore possible career paths, gain industry knowledge and further develop their valuable skills to make themselves more marketable in today’s competitive job market.

“As a DOD SkillBridge authorized partner, we will be able to bring on transitioning service members to work alongside both our business and nonprofit sides. As a Marine Corps Veteran, I understand how important this experience and knowledge is for our service members. It allows them to consider more than what they are encouraged to do by most transition programs,” says Bruce Thompson, Executive Director, The ASCEND Collective.

The ASCEND Brand was created and founded in 2018 as Veterans ASCEND, by Navy Veteran, Robyn Grable in response to the 95% of Veteran resumes being filtered out by Applicant Tracking Systems before reaching a recruiter’s desk. Veterans ASCEND set out to connect the Military community with meaningful employment without the use of resumes. With the recent expansion into Talents ASCEND, this Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered talent sourcing platform now serves all walks of life, giving priority to the Military, Disabled, and Justice-Involved communities. Talents ASCEND is committed to their mission of being “a beacon of intentional change for talent diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“We’ve worked hard to build a business on integrity. We were the first skills-matching service chosen by the DOD and DOL to be part of the Employment Navigator program and now to receive the privilege to be a DOD SkillBridge employer is an honor. An intentional service that provides a better pathway for our transitioning service members and their spouses.” Robyn Grable, Talents ASCEND, CEO explains, “The ASCEND brand has an intentional focus on underserved talent. First, our Military, then those in the Disability and Justice-Involved communities.” It is with that passion for who we serve, that The ASCEND Collective and Talents ASCEND works with employers who also share an intentional desire to change the way talent is valued.”