Military Officer to Organization Services Coordinator
Wanda Perry's uses transition to launch remarkable career
Having served in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard for 20 years, Shawanda "Wanda" Perry knows the value of good leadership and management skills. During her military career, Perry gained considerable experience in operations planning, analysis, personnel management, and public service while assigned in various leadership positions in the Army as well as in volunteer and community organizations. A combat veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), she retired from a successful and rewarding career as an Army Intelligence Officer.
Upon her retirement from the military in 2016, Perry realized she needed to develop and adapt her skills if she was to find her place in the civilian workforce. That’s when she discovered the Veterans Education Training and Transition (VET2) program and the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate.
The certificate was the launch pad for Perry’s success in a new professional career. Through the program, she learned several new techniques for addressing problems, managing situations, and finding solutions, all building upon the leadership and management skills she learned in the military. VET2 helped Perry develop these highly sought-after skill sets, making her an exceptionally qualified candidate in the professional workforce.
Perry now works for WorkSource Coastal, a Savannah-based organization that provides career development services for both youth and adults. As the Military Services Coordinator, a new position created specifically for her, she focuses on transitioning military personnel, military spouses, and veterans. Her main responsibilities include identifying, developing, and establishing area business and training partners and workforce development opportunities within the 10-County Coastal Region. She also works closely with representatives from Military Transition Assistance programs and other veterans’ support organizations throughout the region to provide her clients direct access to WorkSource employment and training services and community resources.
In the following video, she reflects on the impact that GTPE and the Lean Six Sigma certificate have made on her post-military career.
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