To reach this vision and live out our Mission, the HKY4Vets Taskforce members created and adopted an aggressive set of strategic objectives for 2019.  For a copy of these strategic objectives, please click here.

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Updates to objectives in progress (as of 6.10.19) are provided below in blue.

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LEVERAGE MILITARY TALENT TO MEET THE WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS OF LOCAL BUSINESS

• Objective A: Understand, organize and promote in-person and online education opportunities benefiting local company efforts to retain/recruit veteran and military spouse talent

• Objective B: Working with statewide partners, establish and market a certification process for NC companies to pursue and achieve “veteran-ready” status.

Have had some initial conversations with NC4ME about a possible statewide certification (& checklist) for interested companies.  NC4ME is a more logical organization to carry this idea forward.

• Objective C: Strengthen direct contact with transition staff at Seymour Johnson, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point & Fort Bragg, Naval Station Norfolk to build awareness of HKY4Vets’ mission and lay groundwork for mutual partnerships in the future. 

• Objective D: Conduct an assessment of both Catawba County companies’ skillset demands and the supply of military talent/skillsets exiting from Southeastern military bases.

• Objective E:  Create a 24/7/365 virtual hiring experience and market the forum to transitioning military families as a connection point for the latest employment opportunities in Catawba County.

Currently on-boarding HKY4Vets Talent Connect Partners to participate in the 24/7/365 employment forum.  We anticipate this new forum will be live in mid-July.

• Objective F: Upon discussions with area companies and the Fort Bragg Career Resource Center, solidify a partnership to lease and establish a “HKY4Vets Career Center” on base, a physical location for HKY4Vets’ employment partners to conduct job recruitment or training classes with transitioning service members and spouses.

After looking at the significant costs associated with establishing such a center, we have decided to put our efforts first into successfully rolling out Objective E.  We continue to pursue foundation and state grant opportunities to support Objective F, but this remains a long-term goal of HKY4Vets.

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PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES TO GROW AND PROSPER IN CATAWBA COUNTY

• Objective G: Through the Catawba Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, highlight and promote legislative priorities that aid North Carolina’s and HKY4Vets’ efforts to recruit and retain military families post military service.

The HKY4Vets Taskforce came forward with a number of legislative proposals that could improve North Carolina's competitiveness for retaining or recruiting transitioning military and military spouses.  Several of these proposals were approved and ultimately adopted by the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce's Legislative Affairs Committee and brought forth to our elected officials in Raleigh.  The full adopted legislative agenda can be viewed here.

• Objective H: Establish a HKY4Vets mentoring network, empowering local military service members (and those in transition) to grow personally and professionally through shared connections with fellow veterans.

We continue to look at various models to help get this initiative off-the-ground.  As staff resources become devoted to some of these other objectives, the HKY4Vets Taskforce members will likely take over the design and organization of the local mentor network.

• Objective I: Working with area businesses, develop and market a “relocation” package of discounts/offerings to ease the relocation of military families to the HKY Metro.

• Objective J: Transition away from “Welcome Home, Hickory Metro” brand, establishing “HKY4Vets” on all marketing materials and a redesigned website.

Done - you are looking at it!

• Objective K: Establish and maintain sustainable funding from private and public sources to successfully implement the 2019 Goals & Strategies

We are actively talking with a number of companies and local governments about financially supporting the Mission and Vision of HKY4Vets.  We should have our annual budget finalized by the end of June.