Getting the job you want in the Groton/New London area requires planning ahead, tapping into available employment resources, networking and starting your search on the right foot. Much of your job search preparation can be done before you arrive in the form of research, preparing resumes, references and applications and gathering important documents to hand-carry. Having a good idea of the skills you have to offer and the type of skills local employers are seeking will help shorten your job search. If you are currently at another base, your local Family Employment Readiness Program can help you prepare resumes, cover letters and employment applications.

Family Employment Readiness: FERP is a Department of the Navy sponsored service which provides free employment assistance, career counseling, career interest and assessments, resume and interview skills assistance and job referrals. Family members of active-duty service members, active-duty reservists and retired military members as well as spouses of Department of Defense civilians on PCS orders may use FERP up to 90 days after arriving in Kings Bay. The FERP Office staff is located in the Fleet and Family Support.

Employment on Base: The Naval Submarine Base has several employers including the Department of the Navy, MWR, NEX, Commissary and numerous contractors. Major government contractors have numerous positions of employment in facilities and grounds maintenance, security guards and clerks, food service and building custodial services, skilled trades positions and administrative positions. There are often openings in these areas. Pay is excellent and job openings are competitive.

Other government opportunities: Government contractors such as Electric Boat (General Dynamics), Sonalysts Corporation and Balfour Beatty Communities (manages government housing) provide employment opportunities in technical, industrial, medical and administrative fields. Administrative and clerical positions on base are limited and highly competitive. FERP provides guidance and workshops for eligible applicants on how to apply for potential administrative, clerical, banking and professional positions on base. The employers you apply with will depend primarily on your skills and the type of job you are seeking.

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?"

1. Employment Documentation: For job hunting purposes, it is important and may be necessary to hand-carry employment records and documents including current civilian and federal resumes, transcripts, certificates and licenses as applicable.
2. Transition Assistance Management Program: The Transition Assistance Management Program/ Goals, Plans, Success offers employment assistance and career counseling to service members who are leaving the military and to DOD civil service employees. TAP/GPS provides seminars, job fairs and employment search resources.
3. Career Options and Navy Skills Evaluation Program: The Career Options and Navy Skills Evaluation Program is a four-day class designed to assist sailors assess their naval careers and personal goals. Course topics include a self-assessment of their skills, developing personal interests, personal financial planning, Navy career options and civilian career planning.

Connecticut Military Department - CT.gov

• https://www.doi.gov/veterans
• https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets
• https://portal.ct.gov/Services/Jobs-and-Employment
• https://portal.ct.gov/DCF/Human-Resources/Employment
• https://cnrma.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/SUBASE-New-London/  
• https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/vets/realifelines/stateinfo.htm?state=CT

Veteran Employment Program: The USO Pathfinder Transition Program works with strategic partners to connect service members and military spouses to resources through a holistic approach, focusing on:

• Employment
• Education - Including leading online learning platforms like Skillsoft, IBM SkillsBuild, and Coursera
• Financial readiness
• Mentorship
• Increased access to relevant veterans’ benefits in their communities

https://www.uso.org/programs/uso-pathfinder-transition-program

Career Advancement and Military Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. There are two programs available to eligible Service members to fund off-duty education: Tuition Assistance and the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education. Both programs pay up to 100% (within fiscal year/career caps and limits) of tuition charged by educational institutions for course enrollments. “Do you want to know more?”

NAVY College Program Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center

Tuition Assistance/NCPACE https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/sailors/tuition-assistance-ncpace.htm

My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program

The MyCAA Scholarship https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/get-started 

Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (Navy COOL)

• Navy-Funded Exam Vouchers
• Navy-Funded Exam Reimbursement
• Maintenance and Continuing Education Fees
• Time of Service Waivers

There are two avenues toward receiving funding from the Navy's Tuition Assistance Program: Traditional and Certificate Programs. https://www.cool.navy.mil/usn/costs_and_funding/navy_tuition_assistance_program.htm

For details on funding levels, eligibility, and procedures, visit the VA’s Education and Training website. For additional information, use the following links:

• GI Bill Comparison Tool
• Post-9/11 GI Bill Fact Sheet
• Navy GI Bill Programs Contact Information for Active Duty and Reserves
• VA’s Coverage of Licensing and Certification Tests
• VA’s Inquiry System

The Connecticut Department of Labor partners with the Fleet and Family Support Center in providing individual job search assistance and career counseling to assist customers in their job search efforts. These highly trained professionals provide local and national job listings, employment assistance to all military veterans, job search and financial management workshops and a self-help library. Applying for unemployment insurance benefits is through a computer-based self-entry system.

For more detailed information on the services provided, contact the Connecticut DOL, http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/veterans/ or http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/HP/VetsServices.htm.

Connecticut Department of Labor Address: 200 Folly Brook Blvd, Wethersfield, CT 06109 Phone: 860-263-6000 https://www.portal.ct.gov/  Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday - Closed

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION — APRIL 2024

National Unemployment Rate has rose; Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 in April, and the unemployment rate changed little at 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing.    https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf 

Technical information:
Household data: (202) 691-6378 • cpsinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/cps Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 • cesinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/ces Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

NOTE: Connecticut unemployment rate of 4.4% nationally. https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

National Unemployment Rate at 3.6% Through May 2019. Approximately 75,000 jobs were created in May 2019, and the national unemployment rate remained at 3.6%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median household income in the United States is 63,688.