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Transitional Internship Opportunities for U.S. Service Members

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Transitioning from Service?

WorkEx provides a number of resources to streamline your transition out of the U.S. Armed Forces.

What is WorkEx?

The WorkEx program acts as the approving authority for a customized, individual internship and is an approved Career Skills (CSP)/DoD SkillBridge program based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, serving service members from all DoD installations nationwide from all branches of service.

WorkEx is a strategic partnership between the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and PacMtn Workforce Development Council.

How does it work?

The WorkEx program acts as the approving authority for a customized, individual internship and is an approved Career Skills (CSP)/DoD SkillBridge program based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, serving service members from all DoD installations nationwide from all branches of service.

For Service Members

Transitioning from military service is difficult, but WorkEx has the partnerships you need to succeed during this process.

The WorkEx program allows eligible active duty transitioning service members and military spouses to participate in a 4-17 week (up to 120 days with chain of command approval) hands-on work based learning opportunity with a  host employer (local or remote) to bridge the gap in skills and experience needed to land a full-time career opportunity within the civilian workforce.

How does it work?

Employer Partners submit a training plan and WorkEx Host Employer Agreement for each intern to ensure resources are available for mentorship and training for the duration of the internship.

For Businesses

Hiring a transitioning service member through an internship allows you to find skilled, valuable employees to help your business succeed.

The WorkEx program allows eligible active duty transitioning service members and military spouses to participate in a 4-17 week (up to 120 days with chain of command approval) hands-on work based learning opportunity with a  host employer (local or remote) to bridge the gap in skills and experience needed to land a full-time career opportunity within the civilian workforce.

Frequently Asked

If the internship is beyond the 50 mile radius to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA please refer identified candidates to contact our team at  [email protected]

  • To become a WorkEx Employer Partner, you will submit an application and sign a business agreement in order to ensure transparency of expectations as an Employer Partner
  • Employer Partners submit a training plan and WorkEx Host Employer Agreement for each intern to ensure resources are available for mentorship and training for the duration of the internship
  • WorkEx does require that your company offers, at a minimum, an informational interview to the candidate at the completion of the internship
  • If the internship is within 50 miles of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA please refer identified candidates to the JBLM
  • If you are stationed at JBLM, attend Career Skills Briefing held Mondays at 11 noon at Hawk Career Center

  • You are under no obligation to hire the intern, rather this is a work experience that will enhance the intern’s ability to transition into permanent employment
  • The intern is paid by the military during the internship period, so there is no risk, liability, or payroll cost
  • WorkEx program does not charge a fee to facilitate the approval of your internship for the service member
  • You help craft the internship, customizing the training and mentorship according to the role you may be able to hire for
  • You select the WorkEx intern based on your competitive process and get to know them within your company’s work environment

Yes, it is possible. You will need to be cleared by your unit to travel and work in a foreign country. Also, you will be require to obtain a memorandum from your S2 (Intelligence Officer) stating “SM has been briefed on the risk potential in the country as well as working with a foreign business and there is no issue with the candidate participating.”

The WorkEx team is an approving authority for customized, individual internships and not only processes the required documentation for the candidate but vets the company and the internship opportunity. There are many steps and documents required in the process for both the candidate and the business to protect both entities. Our process is the fastest and most streamlined, seen as the best practice in military transition internships for all types of organizations nationwide. You may choose to pursue an internship through the CSP/DoD SkillBridge office at your local installation.

Our team is located near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. Remote candidates must work diligently to develop their opportunity and complete the required documentation within the correct time frame (within the last 180 days of service.) If steps are not properly followed, the back and forth of email and phone communication can delay processing. For location outside of our region an O-6 is required to approve your Memo of Permission, rather than the O-5 that is required locally.

The WorkEx program provides service members and military spouses the ability to acquire employment skills, knowledge, and/or abilities to assist service members with job opportunities in the civilian sector. Eligible host employers must offer a high probability of post-service employment (minimum $15/hour, full-time, and non-commission-based opportunities) with the provider or other employers in a field related to the opportunity. Participants are not entitled to a job at the conclusion of the WorkEx internship with that specific industry partner or employer simply by virtue of completing the internship, but are guaranteed, at minimum, an informational interview.

Yes, a targeted resume is a CSP and WorkEx program requirement for all WorkEx participants. 

Once you have attended the CSP briefing, completed the WorkEx orientation, determined WorkEx eligibility, and are within 6-9 months (no later than 3 months) of your last day in service (ETS/MED Board/retirement date), please reach out to the WorkEx team via: [email protected] with your targeted resume.

No. While going through the program, service members are still on active duty and continue to receive their full military pay and benefits.

The WorkEx program does not assign internships. Candidates are responsible for developing their own opportunity. The program has worked with many businesses on past internships, and many are willing to accept future interns, but this depends on open roles. Previous candidates were most successful when they reached out to companies directly about open roles and leveraged WorkEx as an opportunity to frontload training during their last 180 days of service. Internships may include roles such as: project management, human resources, mechanic, engineer, marketing, operations management, healthcare administration, IT, analyst, software engineering, pilot, public safety, emergency/risk management, and more.

It depends. Please inquire with the PacMtn WorkEx team at Hawk Career Center to determine the current status of availability for internship opportunities.

Corporate Partnership Opportunities 

Help make a difference and consider partnering with WorkEx. Together we can support your organization, transitioning  service members, and their families. 

Download a Corporate Partnership Pamphlet to learn more!