Transitioning Veteran found VA career with DoD Skillbridge program

After serving 21 years in the Navy, Nigel Thomasford wondered what he’d do next. As the days grew closer to retirement, his career counselor told him about the DoD Skillbridge program, which is designed to give transitioning service members the opportunity to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships or internships.

Thomasford (pictured above) looked at the DoD Skillbridge website to see all of the companies and organizations that were offering internships. He noticed a cook position at Audie Murphy VA.

“I’d been to culinary schools and college universities while in the Navy, so I was very fond of that and that’s why I chose to pursue that position,” he said. “I chose the culinary field because of the fond moments I had with my parents, who were nursing and medical professionals but loved cooking.”

Thomasford contacted Maria Worley, chief of the Nutrition & Food Service for South Texas VA. “From the first email, I could tell he was positive and enthusiastic and would be the type of personality that we are looking for as a team member,” Worley said. Nutrition & Food Service served as a part of a pilot program as a business partner with the DOD Skillbridge program.

“It’s not just a job because I get to give back to the Veterans.”

Fast-forward to today. Thomasford has successfully completed the DoD Skillbridge internship and accepted a full-time position as a senior cook at Audie Murphy VA, the first site in VA to graduate and hire a DoD Skillbridge applicant.

“I highly recommend the Skillbridge program,” he said. “It was so beneficial to me because, after being in the service for 21 years, it allowed me to see I was capable of working with civilians after the military. It also showed me that the skills I learned in the military translated into the civilian sector and boosted my confidence. I love working for VA because every day I come to work, it’s not just a job because I get to give back to the Veterans. As a Veteran, I have stock in it, so I take a lot of pride in what I am doing.”

South Texas VA congratulates Nigel Thomasford on completion of his internship and accepting a position with VA. Special thanks also to the DoD Skillbridge program for partnering with Nutrition & Food Service at Audie Murphy VA. The DoD SkillBridge program is an opportunity for active duty service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships or internships during the last 180 days of service.