Participating Company Tips for Success

As this program expands, there have been some valuable lessons learned to help your company prepare to welcome active-duty service member interns and ensure their success.

Name a champion.

  • Success depends on dedicated people or a person from your company to be the advocate and liaison between NPMA and service members. This SkillBridge program champion or point of contact to works closely with the service member, your company training team and the NPMA Workforce Development Department.
  • This person could be a military veteran on your team, someone on your hiring team, even the CEO! They do not necessarily need to have hiring responsibilities, but they would serve as the advocate for the program and potential interns.

Quick responses are our superpower.

  • If your company is offered the opportunity to interview and consider a service member for an internship- act quickly!
  • Many of our interns shared that our quick engagement from the time they sent in an inquiry to the time we connect them with a host company for an interview is why they commit to the NPMA program for their SkillBridge opportunity.
  • Many of our interns did not specifically look for opportunities in Pest Control. The search for locations where they wish to live and consider their separation timeframe.

Involve military veterans.

  • If you have military veterans or military spouses on your team, include them in the interview and onboarding process for the SkillBridge participant.
  • These people are your best ambassadors to make that personal connection and help make the transition to civilian life and career a smooth and supported one.

Have a plan.

  • While we encourage all participating companies to train SkillBridge interns as they would any entry-level new employee, please consider incorporating military ready guidance from the SHRM Foundation into your recruitment and onboarding practices.
  • Document and share the training plan with the incoming intern. Service members appreciate knowing exactly what they are expected to learn.

What does the process look like?

SkillBridge participants are not on a fixed timeline. They tend to seek internship opportunities close to either their separation date or their terminal leave date (essentially using up ‘vacation time’). Your company will be contacted by NPMA once the service member reaches out to the Workforce Development Department and indicates the company they wish to engage with for their internship.

Step 1: Service Member Contacts NPMA

Step 2: NPMA Contacts Company POC with Opportunity

  • Verifies that the company can accommodate training within the time period
  • Verifies the company is likely to have an open full-time position to offer at the end of the internship

Step 3: NPMA Connects Company and Service Member

  • Company POC schedules an interview
  • Company determines if they would like to move forward with the service member
  • Start and end dates of the internship are agreed upon

Step 4: NPMA Initiates an Offer

  • Service member finalizes approval process with their education office and commanding officer
  • Service Member provides NPMA with approval documentation
  • Service Member completes any company required paperwork/screening

Step 5: Service member starts internship

  • NPMA checks in on progress, provides support when needed

Step 6: Internship Concludes