Rocket Companies Veteran Programs

At Rocket Companies^®, we strive to provide our team members with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. And especially with service members, we want to make sure they can transition to civilian life and find a job that fits their background and skillset along with their personal and professional interests.

We’ve done so for years by creating our Veteran Hiring Program in 2013. Also, through our in-house Tour of Duty Program – a unique internship designed to provide invaluable hands-on experience to recently transitioned veterans and military spouses. However, we’re excited to announce that in 2022, Rocket Companies became an approved Department of Defense SkillBridge Program Industry Provider Partner!

The Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge Program is an opportunity for service members to use up to their last 180 days of active-duty time to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships or internships.

Industry Provider Partners benefit from having advanced access to our nation’s most highly trained and skilled professionals before they reach the civilian job market. The primary goal of the DOD and its participants is to secure full-time employment with approved partners upon completion of the program. Even when conversion to full-time isn’t accomplished, these veterans walk away with great experience added to their resume and get a jump-start on their transition into a new and exciting civilian career!  

The best part about all of this … SkillBridge participants continue to be paid their full military salaries with all associated benefits so they don’t have to worry about supporting their families on internship-level wages and can focus on gaining experience and showcasing their skills and abilities to partners like Rocket Companies. Talk about win-win!  

Brandon Henson: I am a recently separated 12-year veteran from the United States Air Force and I believe the SkillBridge program is the best kept secret in the Department of Defense. I had decided a year out from my date of separation that I was going to separate instead of reenlist. When I made this big decision for my family and myself, I was overcome with stress, thinking about working in the civilian world when all my experience was through the military.

When I stumbled across the SkillBridge program I thought there was no way this was a real thing. The military will pay me for up to 6 months while I get training from a real company! It sounded too good to be true. I am originally from Michigan, and I heard great things about Rocket Companies, so I decided this is where I wanted to try to utilize the Skillbridge program.

I reached out to the Veteran Hiring Program (Shoutout to Corey and Don!) and worked with them to find a spot here. They looked at what I did in the military as a System Administrator and were able to find the Identity Engineering team for me to learn from and train with. Upon finishing my 6 months in the program, I was able to secure a full-time job as an Identity Systems Analyst.

From start to finish, Rocket Companies and the Veteran Hiring Program have been an awesome group that truly wants to help transitioning military members not only find work but find something that they love to do. I have made a point to tell any of my fellow military members who are getting out to check out the SkillBridge program if they want a great transitioning experience.

Joe May: A year ago, I separated from active-duty Army after 6 years of service. While preparing for my separation, I didn’t have a clear transition path into civilian life. This made my transition period a lot more stressful because I was leaving a secure career into an uncertain civilian job market. My wife and I were unsure of how we would support ourselves after leaving the military, however, I knew that the SkillBridge program would give me valuable experience with the civilian workforce and help solidify my path.

I was stationed in Alaska, but I knew I would move to the Detroit-area after I left the Army. During my career search I learned that Rocket Companies had many virtual internships available. I had also heard that they were veteran friendly, and I had a few friends working there that spoke highly about the company culture. Because of this, I knew Rocket Companies was where I wanted to utilize the Skillbridge program .

I applied to three summer internships that aligned with my HR experience in the military. None of those internships were a perfect match with my interests, but I saw importance in putting myself out there. I was then placed with an excellent recruiter who took the time to understand my unique circumstances, interests and skillsets (Shoutout to Reem Abdaal!). She then set me up with an interview with the compensation team, who had an internship opportunity that I was unaware of.  Knowing I was trying to use the Skillbridge program, Reem connected me with the Veteran Hiring Program. Together, they created a unique Skillbridge internship role specific to me and my situation.

I highly valued my Skillbridge experience. I was surrounded by positivity from my team. My leadership considered my personal interests when assigning tasks. I learned a lot about the team and our role within Rocket Companies. I also developed valuable transferrable skills.

My experience with Rocket Companies validated my decision to become a civilian. Participating in the SkillBridge program and getting hired within Rocket Companies was a huge relief. It smoothed out my transition from the Army, helped me to find a meaningful civilian career and ensured financial stability for my family upon returning home. I recommend anyone transitioning from the military to investigate the SkillBridge program.

For any transitioning service members reading this, here is my advice to you:

1. Start the process early! Begin researching the SkillBridge program as soon as possible.

2. Discuss the possibility of SkillBridge with your leadership ASAP.

3. If possible, give yourself at least 6 months to apply for a position and go through the interview and offering process.

Brandon Henson: Being a veteran at Rocket Companies is awesome! The military trained us to have a great work ethic and to get stuff done, these are skills that are so valuable in this company. The experience has been nothing but great the whole way for me.

I started my journey by getting in touch with the Rocket Companies Veteran Hiring Program. This team is so unique, as they are all veterans and service members themselves. This was a great way to transition, as they have all done it before and are eager to help veterans transition fully to the civilian work force. There are a ton of veteran resources here too, for example we have a Microsoft Teams group with all the veterans and military spouses within Rocket Companies that can help give advice and deal with your transition, to literally talking about anything with fellow veterans.

When I met my team for the first time, I was very nervous - I didn’t know how they would be or if they would accept me. I was so wrong for worrying. The culture here at Rocket Companies is amazing, and I could not have asked to be put on a better team. In fact, my team now has five veteran team members.

Once I was finished with SkillBridge and was hired for a full-time role, I was the happiest I had been in a long time. Rocket Companies is truly a great place to work for transitioning service members and veterans. The culture and family-like atmosphere remind me of some of the best units I have been able to work for and I would love to see more veterans utilize this amazing program and join us here!

Joe May: As a veteran of active-duty Army and a current member in the National Guard, I enjoy working for Rocket Companies. My team has always been supportive of my military endeavors. When I was hired full-time, I needed a 1-month gap between ending my SkillBridge internship and starting full-time, so I could out-process from the Army and move from Alaska to Michigan. My team was extremely understanding and accommodating of this.

They have also been flexible with my National Guard requirements, allowing me to progress in both careers. Rocket Companies offers enough PTO for me to take time off for extra days of drill and my 2-week annual training, and I receive the upmost support from my team when requesting this time off. Rocket Companies is a great workplace for veterans!

Are you or someone you know approaching transition and interested in Rocket Companies SkillBridge opportunities? Apply here!

If you have questions or would like to speak with someone about SkillBridge or veteran related careers at Rocket Companies, send us a message to WeHireVeterans@RocketCompanies.com.