NextOp Expands Workforce Development Services to New Locations

May 22

HOUSTON, TX — NextOp, a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, developing and placing high-performing enlisted veterans into careers after their military service, announces expansion of its services to three new geographic areas. Those cities are Dallas, TX, Memphis, TN and Huntsville, AL.

As May is commemorated as Military Appreciation Month to honor and recognize the contributions, sacrifices and service of members of the armed services, NextOp calls attention to the critical need for a military-to-civilian career pipeline. Over the past 10 years, the nonprofit organization has placed 4,000 transitioning personnel and veterans into new careers.

Through one-on-one mentorship and other wrap-around support, NextOp helps veterans and transitioning enlisted service members leverage their military training and experiences into valuable qualifications for a civilian workforce. Only about 25% of transitioning service members have a new job secured before leaving the military.

“We focus on placing our clients not in jobs but into careers. They leave the military with incredible training and skill sets, and we guide them to build on that experience as they enter the civilian workforce,” explains NextOp Executive Director Shelby Mounts, a Navy veteran. “Last year, we placed 669 veterans and transitioning service members into careers with an average starting salary of $66,000. So far, we’re on track this year to exceed those numbers, particularly with the addition of new markets.”

Founded in 2014 in Houston, the country’s fourth largest city for veteran migration, NextOp is strategically moving into other cities with significant military personnel populations. As recipient of a $450,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to support communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt particularly hard hit by industrial downsizing, business closures and job losses, NextOp is able to to expand workforce training and education programs in the Memphis area, while also supporting operations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Some 46,000 enlisted working-age military and veteran workers live in the Memphis area, and approximately 1,600 more service members transition to Tennessee each year. NextOp’s goal is to place 1,000 veterans into careers with employers in west Tennessee over the next five years.

A $100,000 grant from the Texas Capital Foundation allows NextOp to expand to the Dallas-Fort Worth region, where veterans comprise more than 8% of the adult population, making it one of the nation’s most dense veteran communities.

“There are many veterans in the Greater DFW area and many more who want to come here for the region’s opportunities,” says Mounts. “Our career transition services aim to help connect these veterans to great careers.”

Similar to DFW, the Huntsville metro area has a higher than average concentration of citizens with a military service background. Anchored by Redstone Arsenal, the aerospace, defense, information technology, bioscience and advanced manufacturing industries drive the economy of one of the country’s fastest growing regions.

These industries, along with healthcare, construction, logistics and energy, present NextOp with sustainable opportunities to bridge the gap between enlisted veterans looking for employment and companies looking to hire military talent. The organization is implementing the same training-to-career pipeline program in the new markets that has proven successful in Houston and the New Orleans area. Since moving into Louisiana more than seven years ago, NextOp has placed more than 1,000 candidates into meaningful careers with a high demand for skilled employees.

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About NextOp

NextOp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to recruit, develop and place high-performing enlisted veterans into industry careers. NextOp’s goal is to bridge the gap between the military and industries in need of diverse and skilled talent. For more information, visit https://nextopvets.org

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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