SEPTEMBER 30– For the past several months, MedTechVets was fortunate to be joined by Military Transition and Corporate Veteran Readiness Specialist, Sara Blewett. Her expertise was utilized to evaluate MTV’s program effectiveness and implement improvements to ensure a sustainable future to assist veterans to their career transition goals.
“Sara is such a wonderful bundle of knowledge! Her unique experiences have given her this immensely powerful tool to assist veterans in finding their purpose and helping them translate their skills. Not only does she relate personally to every veteran she connects with, but she also works to educate companies on the value veterans bring to the workforce. She was an instrumental piece in assisting MedTechVets and helping us make 2022 a successful year!”
-Amy Reiter, MedTechVets Director of Operations.
Sara was kind enough to share insight on her background, what inspired her interest in veteran initiatives, and her experience working with MedTechVets.
“When one Marine admitted to being more afraid of transition than he was when he left for boot camp, I knew my life’s work.”
-sara blewett
What inspired your background in transitioning strategies, specifically surrounding veteran initiatives?
In 2016, I jumped at the chance to serve pre-transition service members as the Program Manager for Hiring Our Heroes at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. I led three cohorts of pre-transition service members and learned everything I could about transition assistance programs, employment pathways, and the human experience of ending a service contract. When one Marine admitted to being more afraid of transition than he was when he left for boot camp, I knew my life’s work.
What do you see as the value of Veteran integration into the civilian workforce?
The benefits of Veterans in the workforce include:
- Lead DEI&B initiatives. Veterans are a diverse population, and many identify with more than one social group.
- Increase the competency level of the workforce. Veterans do not see obstacles and lead without authority through their work ethic, focus on people, and grit. When times get tough, Veterans will persevere.
- Increase in innovation and sustainability. Veterans are resourceful and mission-driven, which results in finding creative ways to solve problems, increase efficiencies, and impact the bottom line.
“MTV is the leader in industry-specific career readiness programs.”
-Sara blewett
What attracted you to working with MedTechVets?
I was attracted to MedTechVets because of the opportunity to impact more veterans by expanding the Foundational Program. The team welcomed my new ideas and was committed to growth while maintaining the personalized experience for the Fellows.
What do you think sets MTV apart from other organizations?
MTV knows that most adults learn through experience and feedback, and that is what sets MTV apart. The Foundational Program curriculum includes role plays, practice introductions, small peer group discussions, and immediate feedback. Fellows improve each week and gain the necessary confidence to lead a career search.
In addition, the MTV active and engaged mentor network is a tremendous resource available to Alumni job seekers at any point in their careers.
What do you think the future of MTV looks like?
The number of industries and jobs that are available to military-connected job seekers can be overwhelming. I believe the industry-specific transition and career readiness programs like MedTechVets Foundational Program help military-connected job seekers narrow their search and allow them to map a career path with intention.
MedTech and HealthTech jobs offer veterans career stability, upward mobility, opportunities to impact future generations and make a difference. MTV is the leader in industry-specific career readiness programs.
“Your purpose lives inside of you. Spend some time thinking about your life before the military; how you spent your time, what you enjoyed doing, what inspired you to serve. Those answers will help you uncover your purpose. You do not turn that in with your gear. “
-Sara Blewett
Sara’s advice for transitioning service members:
Reflect: Take some time to appreciate your successful transition into the military and all you have accomplished while serving. Review your career roles, awards, and recognition to maintain self-confidence and acknowledge valuable attributes.
Self-Compassion: Give yourself some grace for not starting your transition preparation earlier than you did. Remember, you had a job to do, limited access to transition assistance programs, and only 24 hours in your day. It’s also impossible to prepare for a second career if you’re undecided on what that second career will be.
Purpose is Transportable: Your purpose lives inside of you. Spend time thinking about your life before the military, how you spent your time, what you enjoyed doing, and what inspired you to serve. Those answers will help you uncover your purpose, which inspired all your big decisions. Take your purpose with you.
“I am hopeful that more employers will invest in career readiness workshops to help veteran talent emerge and to build their pipelines of military-connected job seekers.“
-Sara Blewett
What is next for Sara?
Sara works on both sides of the military-to-civilian transition; with military-connected job seekers and employers. On the employer side, she works to increase veteran readiness through organizational assessments, workforce training, and veteran program designs. For military-connected job seekers, she hosts pre-employment readiness workshops to help job seekers understand their value and create strategic plans for networking events and interviewing.
Sara’s next event is hosted by Amazon Global Military Affairs on October 17, 2022.
Interested in connecting with Sara?
Contact her at sara@transitionstrategies.com Connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradblewett/
About MedTechVets
MedTechVets is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Veterans during career transition and beyond. Our Vision is to build a bridge to help Veterans find meaningful employment in the Medical Technology Industry.
We bridge the gap for Veterans by providing personalized career transition services, mentorship, and career development guidance. We serve Veterans who plan to enter the MedTech, Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, or Medical Device industries.
MedTechVets is proud to be endorsed by Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed).
When a Veteran’s military skills and experiences are translated to civilian language, recruiting managers see the benefits of hiring a qualified Veteran. Veterans are able to see the roles within the MedTech, Medical Device, Life Sciences, and Pharmaceutical industries that would best suit their skill set and career aspirations.
MedTechVets Academy is a specialized program that provides more than generic advice about transitioning into medical-related career fields.
If you would like to learn more information about MedTechVets, please go to our page https://medtechvets.org/contact-us/.
