VET TEC 2.0 Career Placement SpecialistDepartment: Career Services / VET TEC 2.0 Reports To: Vice President of Administrations/ Career Services Manager Classification: Full-TimePosition SummaryLakewood University is seeking a results-driven VET TEC 2.0 Career Placement Specialist to help Veterans completing Lakewood University's Cybersecurity program successfully transition into employment in cybersecurity and related information technology occupations.The Placement Specialist will work directly with students and graduates throughout the employment process, beginning before graduation and continuing through successful job placement and employment verification. This position will also develop relationships with employers, identify employment opportunities, prepare Veterans for the hiring process, track employment outcomes, and maintain accurate documentation required for Lakewood University's VET TEC 2.0 reporting and placement initiatives.The successful candidate will understand that placement is an active process. This role requires consistent outreach to students, employers, recruiters, government contractors, staffing firms, Veteran-serving organizations, and other potential hiring partners.Primary ResponsibilitiesStudent and Graduate PlacementManage an assigned caseload of VET TEC 2.0 students and graduates from career preparation through verified employment.Meet individually with students to develop a personalized cybersecurity employment plan based on their experience, certifications, military background, transferable skills, location, salary goals, and career interests.Begin employment preparation before graduation so students are job-ready when they complete the program.Maintain frequent contact with graduates until an appropriate employment or continuing-education outcome is achieved.Assist graduates in identifying positions that reasonably align with their cybersecurity training and qualifications.Create individualized weekly job-search goals and follow up on completion.Proactively intervene when a graduate is not generating interviews or employment offers.Employer DevelopmentDevelop and maintain an active network of employers that hire entry-level cybersecurity and information technology professionals.Conduct ongoing outreach to:Cybersecurity companiesManaged service providersInformation technology departmentsFederal contractorsDefense contractorsHealthcare organizationsBanks and financial institutionsState and local government agenciesStaffing and recruiting companiesVeteran-friendly employersSmall and mid-sized businesses with IT and cybersecurity needsDevelop relationships with hiring managers, recruiters, talent acquisition professionals, and Veteran employment representatives.Identify current openings appropriate for Lakewood University graduates and directly refer qualified candidates.Create employer partnerships that provide interviews, hiring events, internships, apprenticeships, mentorship opportunities, and employment pipelines for Lakewood University graduates.Organize virtual hiring events, employer information sessions, and cybersecurity career fairs.Job Search and Career CoachingAssist students and graduates with:Cybersecurity-focused resumesLinkedIn profilesUSAJOBS profiles and federal resumesInterview preparationMock interviewsSalary discussionsJob-search strategiesNetworkingProfessional communicationTranslating military experience into civilian terminologyHelp students identify realistic entry-level pathways including positions such as:SOC Analyst Cybersecurity Analyst Information Security Analyst Security Operations Specialist IT Security Specialist Help Desk / Technical Support Specialist Network Support Specialist Junior Network Administrator Systems Support Specialist IT Specialist Cybersecurity Technician Governance, Risk and Compliance Support Security AdministratorEducate students on using certifications, projects, labs, and practical cybersecurity skills to demonstrate competency to employers.Veteran-Focused Career AssistanceUnderstand the employment advantages and challenges faced by transitioning service members and Veterans.Help Veterans translate military occupational experience, leadership, security responsibilities, technical experience, and transferable skills into civilian cybersecurity employment opportunities.Develop relationships with Veteran hiring programs, military-friendly employers, federal contractors, government agencies, and Veteran employment organizations.Help qualified Veterans identify employment opportunities where security-clearance eligibility or an existing security clearance may be advantageous.Placement Tracking and DocumentationMaintain accurate records of all student and graduate employment activity in Lakewood University's designated systems.Document:Employer contactsJobs referredApplications submittedInterviews obtainedEmployment offersEmployment start datesJob titlesEmployersRelationship of employment to the student's field of studyContinued employment follow-upContinuing-education outcomesSupporting employment documentationCollect appropriate documentation necessary to verify qualifying employment outcomes.Maintain regular contact with placed graduates to verify continued employment and obtain required supporting documentation.Work closely with Lakewood University leadership and compliance personnel to ensure placement documentation supports VET TEC 2.0 reporting requirements.Data and Performance ManagementMaintain a real-time placement dashboard for the VET TEC 2.0 population.Track each student according to placement stage, including:Not Yet Career Ready Career Ready Applying Interviewing Offer Received Employed Employment VerifiedMonitor placement performance by cohort and identify students requiring additional intervention.Prepare weekly reports showing:Number of active job seekersApplications submittedInterviews scheduledOffers receivedStudents placedPlacement percentageDays from graduation to placementEmployers hiring Lakewood graduatesStudents approaching critical placement deadlinesOutstanding employment documentationPerformance ExpectationsSuccess in this position will be measured primarily by student employment outcomes rather than the number of career-service activities conducted.The Placement Specialist will be expected to work toward Lakewood University's goal of achieving and maintaining at least a 70% cybersecurity-related employment placement rate within 180 days of graduation, while striving for placement substantially above that level.Additional performance indicators may include:Percentage of graduates employed in their fieldAverage number of days from graduation to employmentNumber of graduates receiving interviewsPercentage of graduates receiving interviews within 30 daysNumber of active employer partnersNumber of employers hiring multiple Lakewood graduatesGraduate response and engagement ratesAccuracy and completeness of employment documentationEmployment retention and verificationContinuing-education outcomes where applicableQualificationsRequiredBachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.Experience in career services, workforce development, recruiting, staffing, employer relations, Veteran employment services, higher education career services, or related work.Demonstrated ability to develop employer relationships and generate employment opportunities.Excellent communication, coaching, organization, and follow-up skills.Ability to manage a significant caseload while maintaining detailed documentation.Comfort working with databases, CRM systems, spreadsheets, and employment-tracking systems.Ability to work independently and be accountable for measurable placement outcomes.PreferredExperience recruiting or placing candidates in cybersecurity, information technology, or technical positions.Experience working with Veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, or Veteran employment programs.Knowledge of entry-level cybersecurity career pathways and certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+.Experience with federal employment, USAJOBS, government contractors, or security-cleared employment.Existing relationships with technology employers, staffing firms, federal contractors, or Veteran hiring organizations.Experience with Salesforce or another CRM system.Ideal CandidateThe ideal candidate is persistent, highly organized, comfortable making employer outreach calls every day, and motivated by measurable employment outcomes.This individual does not wait for employers to contact Lakewood University. The Placement Specialist actively identifies opportunities, contacts employers, introduces Lakewood graduates, follows up with hiring managers, prepares candidates for interviews, and continues working with graduates until a successful employment outcome is achieved.The ideal candidate approaches every graduate with the mindset:"What needs to happen next to get this Veteran interviewed, hired, and successfully established in a cybersecurity career?"