Military Transition Sponsorship Program

Sponsorship is an essential recruitment activity. Just like in the Armed Services, the Sponsorship Program provides the structure and foundation for APPA (leadership in educational facilities) to welcome and prepare transitioning military service members for their ‘new duty station’ in advance of their actual arrival at an educational institution (K-12, college or university). This program is available to any transitioning military member in North America who is interested in finding out more about educational facilities management as a career. The sponsor is the key to helping the transitioning military member get a good understanding of the role of educational facilities, the types of jobs available, important information about the region they wish to move to, the jargon that they may encounter in their job application process and support in preparing their resume (if desired).

Sponsors, ideally former military members with significant time in educational facilities, provide the transitioning military member with information and knowledge about educational facilities and the University community. The assigned sponsor will be from a similar service and military career field or occupational series and in the region of interest when feasible. Sponsors are the backbone of the program and provide a valuable service to inbound transitioning military. Sponsors can provide inbound transitioning military with insight about the community, institutional mission, local schools, housing, and area recreational facilities (if they are located in the area) or contacts at the local institution if requested.

Education facilities is approaching its peak period for baby boomers to retire. We anticipate that within the next five years a large percentage of staff within educational facilities will retire leaving a huge gap in knowledge and capability at the K-12, college and university level throughout North America. Meanwhile, there are thousands of highly skilled military personnel with excellent leadership competency and experience transitioning out of the military around the continent each day.