KY VALOR helped Ethan land a role that fit all of his needs
Ethan Osborne knew he wanted to relocate to Kentucky after leaving the Air Force, but worried about the job search and how he’d use his unique skills as a Korean Language Analyst in a civilian role. We helped him translate these skills and connected him with BlueOval SK where he landed a job as a Admin Security Specialist after his first interview.
What was your experience like with KY VALOR?
I knew that I was always going to relocate back to Kentucky after I finished my service commitment, but I was unsure of where to start my job search. One day while looking at the roster for a job fair hosted at Nellis AFB where I worked, I notice that an organization specifically for Kentucky was on the list. Due to some work commitments, I was unable to go to the job fair, but I decided to go ahead and reach out directly on KY VALOR website and the after that Nicki reached out to me.
The experience was amazing; I expressed a lot of my concerns to Nicki about my unique work background and my fears of being able to use my skills as a Korean Language Analyst, but Nicki immediately had a solution. KY VALOR is a great program for sure.
Did you face any challenges finding a job?
I had so much anxiety about job search since it was something I hadn’t done in five years and before the Air Force, I had no experience with anything close to the corporate world. All the normal challenges were there like waiting around just to get rejected, constantly questioning if my skills were good enough, etc.
What were your biggest concerns transitioning to the civilian workforce? How did KY VALOR address them?
My biggest concerns were being able to find a job that matches my skills well and landing that job in Kentucky specifically. It’s easy to relocate when you can look at opportunities anywhere, but I had already decided to move back to Kentucky to be closer to loved ones.
Nicki was amazing from the moment I stated my concerns she already knew of an opportunity that was a perfect fit. The KY VALOR network is so wide, and they know the Kentucky job market so well they can find opportunities everywhere. Now I am at BlueOval SK and using all of my skills and developing new ones too. It was the first place Nicki suggested, the first place I applied, and the first interview I did. When they finally got back to me it was with an offer that fit all my needs and what are the chances of that? It’s a very rare situation for service members but Nicki and KY VALOR made it a possibility.
What advice would you give to others leaving the military for a civilian career?
If you know Kentucky is your home, then you have to us KY VALOR full stop. I reached out before starting my Skillbridge and two months before the end of my service I was ready to move to that next stage of life. They have so much to offer, and it takes no time at all to reach out and get help.
Would you recommend KY VALOR to someone in a similar situation as yours?
Yes, I would suggest KY VALOR to every service member who is getting out and relocating to Kentucky. It might as well be a necessity.
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