- Facebook created its Military and Veterans Hub to help veterans expand their digital skills, connect with other veterans, find jobs, and become business owners.
- Meta partnered with SCORE to create mentorship opportunities, education, and support for veterans who want to own their own businesses.
- Meta also offers a Military Skills Translator tool to help veterans match their skills to a new career with the social media giant.
- This article is for military veterans and their families interested in Meta’s resources and tools for veterans.
Facebook and its parent company Meta have amassed an immense global reach, creating unprecedented ways to form robust online communities. These global connections have been especially valuable for military service members who often live far from their families.
Military resources, groups, and tools have been firmly entrenched in the social network for years. In 2019, Facebook launched its Military and Veterans Hub as a way to consolidate these tools and resources in one place. Today, Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub continues its mission of helping vets connect, start businesses, develop digital skills, and more.
Key takeaway: Check out our small business resource guide for veterans to learn about more veteran-focused agencies and organizations that can help you launch a new business.
What is Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub?
The internet helps us connect and communicate instantly across great distances. This powerful tool has been a tremendous boon for active military members, veterans, and their families, helping them keep in touch with loved ones from remote combat zones. In particular, Facebook has emerged as a robust resource for current and former service members to connect and pool resources.
Facebook leveraged its tremendous reach among veterans to create its Military and Veterans Hub – a career and support hub for current and past service members to communicate and reintegrate into society. Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub aims to make civilian life easier for those who’ve served – as well as those who continue to serve – our country.
What programs does Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub offer?
The Hub’s resources include the following:
- Charitable-giving resources. Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub offers veterans and their families a platform to raise money for charitable causes. These tools provide the software backbone for a charity campaign and resources to help grow its reach. The program has helped participants raise millions of dollars for veteran-related causes.
- Case studies. The Hub offers case studies highlighting successful businesses owned by veterans. These stories provide inspiration and can help generate ideas.
- Various tools and resources. Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub provides links to tools and resources for training, funding, marketing, and events.
- VetWorking group. The Hub shows veterans how to connect with Facebook’s exclusive VetWorking group for additional support, connections, and resources.
- News stories. The Hub showcases news stories about veterans successfully owning and operating businesses.
- SCORE’s resources. Facebook’s partnership with SCORE provides immense benefits to veterans who are considering becoming entrepreneurs and small business owners. (Read more below.)
What SCORE brings to the Military and Veterans Hub
SCORE’s programs and resources are a huge part of Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub. Facebook teamed with SCORE – an immense network of volunteer expert business mentors – to provide resources to help veterans start businesses. This partnership provides the following:
- Mentorship. Score participants with robust entrepreneurial and business experience offer education and mentorship to military members, veterans, and their families. Finding a mentor can be challenging, so the program focuses on matching veterans with SCORE mentors who also served.
- Educational resources. Additionally, the program offers a “veteran-focused educational toolkit” to ease the process of entrepreneurship.
- Workshops. SCORE facilitates veteran-focused interactive workshops that guide members on starting a business. SCORE’s veteran mentors are also available to attendees following the workshops for continued support.
“We are grateful for all that our nation’s veterans have done for us and are proud to help veterans and their families who want to start their own business,” said Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE. “Data shows that entrepreneurs with access to a mentor are five times more likely to succeed in business, and we’re excited to be working with Facebook to provide our veteran community with the support and guidance they need to succeed.”
Tip: The SBA and other organizations can help you find business loans for veterans to access the funding you need to start a small business.
How to use your military experience to work at Meta
Employers who hire veterans gain highly adaptable, skilled, and dedicated professionals – and no one knows this more than Meta. The company offers unique resources to attract and retain top talent with military backgrounds.
Visit the Veterans at Meta website to learn more about job opportunities for veterans at the company. It offers a unique Military Skills Translator to help veterans translate their military skills to find jobs at Meta that match their unique experience and qualifications. Military veterans can see a list of job titles and opportunities they’d be suited for.
This tool is helpful even if you don’t want to work at Meta – the job titles and matched positions are an excellent starting point for vets beginning a job search and wondering how their skills translate to the civilian world. Any company hiring employees will recognize these skills while appreciating veterans’ experience with problem-solving, teamwork, performing under pressure, and working with others from diverse backgrounds.
Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub is a valuable resource
The transition of returning to civilian life after time in the military can be fraught with anxiety. While veterans often possess in-demand career skills, it’s not always clear how they can apply them to the civilian working world. Facebook’s Military and Veterans Hub leverages the company’s technical expertise and massive reach to support veterans going through this process.
Alex Halperin contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.