Veterans are trainable and punctual. Veterans can lead, but also know how to follow. Veterans will work until the job is done. And veterans are resilient.

These are the qualities that Gerry Borja, senior diversity and inclusion program manager at Oracle, wants corporate hiring managers to recognize among those who have served in the military.

Borja manages the Oracle Veteran Internship Program (OVIP), which helps United States veterans and military spouses transition from military life and into a corporate work environment. The program helps participants apply their military experience and skills toward hands-on technical job training, professional development, networking opportunities, and exposure to Oracle's corporate culture and business.

"Veterans are coming from one extreme culture to another in a very short time," Borja says of returning to the workforce. "What [OVIP] does is help them bridge and accelerate that transition faster and more successfully than traditional programs."

Since 2018, the 12-week program has been held twice a year in the spring and fall. In 2020, OVIP opened opportunities for active-duty military spouses to also participate. Over these years, the program has seen a 92 percent completion rate, with 67 percent of participants representing diverse communities, including women. While the program is designed to provide corporate experience to veterans and their spouses, 58 percent of participants have been converted into hires at Oracle. An additional 32 percent have found employment elsewhere, whle the remaining participants pursue or continue their education, according to those OVIP has tracked on LinkedIn.