By Sarah Thompson, Administrative Coordinator, San Diego Workforce Partnership for the Voice & Viewpoint   

Maurice Wilson, after ten years with the Urban League of San Diego, has found a new calling with the National Veterans Transition Services, Inc. by co-founding a job training program fittingly named REBOOT.   

REBOOT is an opportunity for transitioning military personnel and veterans to reinvent themselves, learning skills necessary to be successful after their military service. After years of responding to specific orders, upon discharge, civilian employment is quite a change for military personnel who were told what to do, where to be, and how to act. REBOOT prepares these men and women for sustainable careers and social interaction. Presently, classes are offered in Liberty Station, formerly the Naval Training Center in Point Loma.   

After his 10 years of community work with the Urban League, most recently as Vice President and Director of Employment & Training, Maurice saw a need to serve the more than 28,000 military personnel who are discharged from the military here in San Diego every year. Many of these dedicated individuals leave without a clearly defined goal or vision for their future. With 28 years of service in the military, Maurice Wilson, along with Ronne Froman, retired United States Navy Rear Admiral, has found a way to make an impact on these individuals by teaching them to leverage their resources through concept-based learning and creating a plan to achieve their goals.   

“This course has made me realize the unlimited potential that I have inside me,” comments Paul C. Waller, a naval aircraft mechanic and REBOOT program graduate. “I know that I can and will accomplish all the goals I have set forth for my future.”   

Maurice and REBOOT instructors are changing how their students think, relate to their families, and interact with future employers. The program doesn’t just end upon completion of the three-week program. REBOOT maintains contact through the effective use of social media outlets. The graduates gather monthly to refresh skills they learned throughout the program, as well as realize the value of maintaining their network.   

With a successful trial period for REBOOT, Maurice has set his sights on building capacity with a goal of reaching 10% of the 28,000 transitioning active duty service men and women every year. Eventually, he wants to take the program to the national level.   

Upon receiving certificates of completion for the course, an observer can see on their faces and hear in their words that partici- pants leave the program with a vision, a plan, and a path.   

As Maurice explains, “It is not about me finding you a job; it is about me helping you define your vision for your future.”   

Check out https://www.nvtsi.org/ for more information on REBOOT.