In this episode of Life After the Military, Master Gunnery Sergeant (Retired) Vonzell Mattocks describes his Big 3 E’s: Education, Entrepreneurship, and Employment. Vonzell had a varied post-military career that included owning and managing an Express Employment Professional franchise; managing the execution of a Department of Labor hospitality industry grant for the Prince George’s Community College; and held several positions in support of active-duty military, veterans, and their families for the Northern Virginia Community College system. Vonzell most recently worked as the Executive Director of the Veterans Employment Initiative which is an integral part of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Foundation.
Learn more as Vonzell describes opportunities for veterans to get free certification and training with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families Program and the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses at Intellectual Point. See the links below.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonzell-mattocks-77985414/
Northern Virginia Technology Council: https://www.nvtc.org/
Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families: https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/
Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses at Intellectual Point: https://info.intellectualpoint.com/en-us/en-us/veteran-programs?hsLang=en-us
Show Notes:
0:00 Lee opens the podcast
00:26 Lee introduces Vonzell
01:48 Vonzell describes how his military service shaped him
06:35 Vonzell describes some of the positions he held after he retired from the Marine Corps
10:08 Vonzell talks about his transition and focuses on The BIG 3 E’s: Education, Entrepreneurship, and Employment
15:34 Vonzell shares more about why he chose to pursue his entrepreneurial spirit as a franchise owner early in his transition from the military
19:53 Lee and Vonzell discuss the existence of the team bond in the military and the lack of leadership and team bond in the private sector
27:21 Vonzell talks about how he managed a Department of Labor hospitality industry grant valued at over $2.4 million for the Prince George’s Community College
33:00 Vonzell describes his work with the Northern Virginia Community College System
41:30 Vonzell challenges veterans to envision where they see themselves in 1-3 years whether pursuing employment or educational opportunities
47:00 Vonzell provides great perspective about his role as Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Veterans Employment Initiative
53:18 Vonzell reinforces that the Northern Virginia Technology Council Veterans Employment Initiative helps veterans worldwide find employment
56:04 Vonzell describes the value of the Vetworking Events that he hosts
1:00:32 Vonzell provides advice to veterans as they prepare for the Vetworking events
1:04:43 Lee gives Vonzell his book title
1:05:33 Vonzell transparently describes his challenges with mental fitness and what he does to strengthen it
1:15:40 Lee closes out the episode
