Organizations Step Up to Help Federal Employees Leaving Service
It’s a challenging time for thousands of federal employees, as they leave federal service and look to transition to the next phase of their career.
Now, there are a string of new resources launching to help feds find their next adventure.
FedsForward
Among them is FedsForward. The non-profit organization just launched an AI-driven talent platform to help former federal employees “translate their experience into private, non-profit and other non-federal sector roles through resume conversion, government-to-private skills mapping, and targeted coaching.”
Co-Founder Karen Lee told Federal News Network that many former feds have trouble telling their stories, particularly when it comes to articulating their skills and experience in a succinct manner.
“Taking all of the conversations we’ve had from literally hundreds of feds, one of the key themes has been skills translation and finding your value outside of government, where you can apply not only your skills and experience, but also your mission-focused orientation,” said Lee. “We’ve created a platform that has been trained specifically for civil servants using a large language model.”
The platform includes a self-discovery tool, a career roadmap, and a library of career-related resources.
Public Service Alliance
Meanwhile, the Public Service Alliance (PSA) launched a marketplace that provides access to free resources and discounted third-party services for civil servants. Services include links to career websites, free and discounted cybersecurity and privacy protection services, and coaching and mental health resources.
“Threats to public servants and their families have surged over the past decade, with no scalable support for those at risk,” said Isabella Ulloa, PSA Founder & CEO. “At PSA, we’re building scalable solutions to better protect the people who serve our communities, across party lines.”
PSA is for anyone who has served or is still serving at any level of government.
Former Gov
Former Gov is a platform that connects former government employees and military professionals, with people and businesses who need experts for their dealings with the federal government.
It was launched by former federal prosecutor Brian Levine.
“What our site allows you to do is to search based on specifically what they used to do — what jurisdiction, what agency, what title, what role, was it civil service, was it appointee, was it military — and exactly what they're doing now,” said Levine to NBC in Dallas. “So you can find your government needle in a haystack.”
Levine started building the platform before the Trump Administration took office, but its launch coincides with the mass termination of federal employees.
Former Gov also hosts a coworking event every Tuesday at the Eaton House at 1203 K Street NW in Washington, DC. The coworking events will take place through 2025.
Grounded Idealist
Grounded Idealist focuses on coaching to help former federal workers find their next career path. It offers coaching services to help turn “layoffs into launchpads.”
After a $50 administrative fee, participants receive three pro-bono career coaching sessions, access to skills development workshops, and a monthly newsletter. There is also a new 3-month career navigator program called Root to Rise.
Justice Connection
Justice Connection recently started a mental health network to help current and recent Department of Justice (DOJ) employees who need help recovering from psychological and emotional harm. It includes a list of providers and hotlines that are available.
Layoff Loans
And if you need money in a pinch, layoff loans are available through the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA). FEEA offers eligible federal employees confidential, no-fee, no-interest loans to help temporarily with basic needs.
