We are proud of our military. Virginia State Parks wants to be a part of helping military members transition into civilian life after their military service. We found the program to help with just that.

SkillBridge is a Department of Defense (DoD) program for transitioning service members. It offers employment training, internship and apprenticeship opportunities at more than 3,000 public and private organizations across the country. Veterans Administration has SkillBridge opportunities for civilian careers at different offices and programs. For partners, it is an opportunity to access and leverage some of our country’s most trained and motivated workforce. Participants may be eligible to participate in SkillBridge if they meet three criteria. They must have completed at least 180 continuous days on active duty, can complete the program within their final 180 days of military service, and have approval from chain of command.

As of now, Virginia State Parks employs four SkillBridge participants. Eric Hougland, professional development coordinator for Virginia State Parks says, “I see multiple benefits from hosting the SkillBridge program. The program is a pathway to train transitioning military service members for a potential career in state parks, but the SkillBridge interns that we have hosted are mature, responsible and hard-working team members.”

Jonathan Knauth, a SkillBridge participant, is currently working at Widewater State Park in Stafford, VA.

Jonathan Knauth served over 30 years in the United States Marine Corps. “I first heard about SkillBridge from my military co-workers around 2017, while discussing the transition process from military service. I learned about DCR’s SkillBridge program through Virginia State Parks’ representatives while researching volunteer and internship opportunities in the summer of 2022,” Knauth explains. He acquired many traits that easily transition from the military to Virginia State Parks. “My military experience has proven to be invaluable in multiple aspects while working with Virginia State Parks. First, I believe the ‘one team, one fight’ mentality has allowed me to integrate with the entire parks team and be of value to every aspect of park operations. Second, my leadership experience allows me to effectively mentor, train and counsel my subordinates and superiors alike. Lastly, I believe my military experience in visual communication and public relations has helped me to connect – and engage – with our park patrons, while informing and educating them on the natural, scenic, historic and cultural resources our parks have to offer.”

Jessica German, a SkillBridge participant, currently works at Virginia State Parks Headquarters in Richmond, VA.

There are many ways to serve others. For some, the military life and state park life may seem worlds apart. However, according to Jessica German, a United States Air Force Veteran who also learned of the program through on-base programs, “Military experience helped my work at Virginia State Parks through teamwork, integrity, leadership, mentorship, professional development and pride. All of these are used every day in state parks.” German not only wholeheartedly believes in the value of the SkillBridge program, she found a way to promote the program in her new role at Virginia State Parks Headquarters in Richmond, VA. “Walking around in parks, talking about conservation. I always wanted to give back to the community and VSP is full of unique opportunities for all walks of life to be part of the state parks,” says German.

Hougland has shared the experiences of Virginia State Parks in every aspect of his job. He joined friend and host, Donald Forgione, on his podcast “Tailgate Talks” to discuss the benefits of using SkillBridge as a recruiting tool for state parks. Hougland believes “the program is a way to give back to the military community for the service they provide by offering an opportunity for them to prepare for the transition from military service to civilian life.” He says, “It's an all-around win for the host park, the intern and our system of state parks.” Click here to listen to the episode of “Tailgate Talks” with Hougland about SkillBridge.

For more information about the SkillBridge program, click here. Learn more about careers at Virginia State Parks.