MERS/Goodwill Celebrates 2015 Outstanding Service to Veterans Award

Military men and women have a depth of experience, but many do not know how to relate their skills to potential employers, making the transition from military service to civilian life especially challenging. Organizations like MERS/Goodwill help to bridge this gap by offering veterans with programs and services that include evaluation and career counseling, placement services and skills training programs.

Pam Williams, On the Job Training Navigator for MERS/Goodwill’s Missouri Career Center, has been instrumental in working with local businesses to put dislocated veterans in Missouri back to work. In the last year alone, Pam has placed 63 people overall in employment with veterans accounting for one-third of those qualified individuals. Her commitment has not gone unnoticed; in fact, Pam was recently selected as one of five recipients for Missouri’s 2015 Outstanding Service to Veterans award, and was honored at the annual Salute to Veterans event in Washington D.C. on November 5.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to do my job by helping veterans overcome the barriers to employment,” said Pam. “By just talking to these men and women, they are often surprised to see how many skills they actually have that employers find important. Showing veterans they can live life to their fullest potential outside of the military helps them feel empowered again.”