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Career Readiness for Your Military-Affiliated Students with FourBlock
HigherEdMilitary
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The military-affiliated community is strong, but we all can find ourselves in isolation sometimes. This is especially compounding if you are a transitioning servicemember and military spouse. FourBlock offers a "white glove" experience to align people with meaningful careers and build communities.
As a FourBlock alumni myself, I thought I would receive helpful tips about interviewing and resume-writing - and I did, but it was much more than that. I learned more about myself and how to triangulate my career path. I met authentic individuals and teams from host companies with a genuine interest in people like me and my peers. I connected with people across different industries and built my network. I gained new mentors and coaches who provided guidance like, "Kim, start by figuring out what you really don't want to do. Then you can focus on what you do want to do."
During the cohort program, students were interviewing and some even landed jobs. I was doing timely mock interviews while also interviewing with recruiters. I was making my elevator pitches right after learning how miserable mine was! So, I improved. They do not teach you these skills during your degree program. These skills, however, are how you develop "your brand" in the real world.
Below, we interview FourBlock founder and president, Michael Abrams, to learn more about his vision and what sets FourBlock apart.
Kim O'Brien, HigherEdMilitary: FourBlock is celebrating 15 years of success supporting veteran and military spouse career readiness. As the FourBlock founder and president, what is your long-term vision for the future?
Michael Abrams, FourBlock:
Our long-term vision is to ensure that every transitioning service member and military spouse-regardless of where they live or what stage of life they're in-has access to a clear, structured pathway to a meaningful career and purpose-driven life. We aim to build the most trusted national ecosystem for career readiness by expanding our programs to reach thousands of individuals over the next five years, investing in digital learning platforms, strengthening alumni engagement, and advocating for policies that support military-to-civilian transition. Ultimately, we want FourBlock to be synonymous with long-term success and leadership for the military-affiliated community.
O'Brien: How does FourBlock partner with higher education institutions to create more career readiness pathways for the military-affiliated community?
Abrams:
We work closely with colleges and universities across the country to integrate career readiness into the fabric of the military student experience. Our partnerships include co-hosting career development courses, inviting faculty and career services teams to collaborate on our programming, and helping institutions connect students to real-world professionals and employer networks. In doing so, we bridge the academic-to-employment gap by helping military-affiliated students translate their education, leadership, and service into competitive strengths in the civilian workforce.
O'Brien: Higher education institutions continue to seek ways to remove obstacles and bridge gaps such as expanding accessibility to rural communities. What are some ways that FourBlock addresses accessibility challenges for students?
Abrams:
Accessibility has been a cornerstone of our growth strategy. In recent years, we've expanded our offerings beyond in-person cohorts to include virtual courses and self-paced digital learning. This ensures that veterans and military spouses in rural areas-or those balancing school, work, and family-can still access the same high-quality career development programming and mentorship. Our online platform replicates the peer support and employer engagement found in our in-person programs, helping us meet students where they are, on their terms.
O'Brien: How does FourBlock measure success for its students and alumni, and how could someone interested in getting involved amplify that impact?
Abrams:
We define success by the long-term outcomes of our alumni: securing meaningful employment, increasing lifetime earnings, and finding a renewed sense of purpose. We track job placement rates, salary growth, and qualitative feedback from students, employers, and instructors. In fact, over 90% of our alumni find careers that align with their values and goals. For those looking to amplify our impact, there are many ways to get involved-volunteer as a professional instructor or mentor, bring FourBlock into your company, or help fund a program in your region. Every connection we make can change a life.
O'Brien: FourBlock's programs bring together community employers, volunteers, donors and instructors in an impactful way. What other unique FourBlock qualities are you most proud of and would like our readers to know?
Abrams:
What sets FourBlock apart is our deep commitment to human connection. We don't just teach resumes and interview prep-we build a trusted community of veterans, spouses, employers, and professionals who support one another far beyond the classroom. I'm especially proud of the way we empower our alumni to give back as mentors and leaders, creating a self-sustaining network of support. FourBlock is more than a program-it's a lifelong community grounded in shared experience, purpose, and the belief that military service should be a launchpad to leadership in every sector of American life.
If these qualities align with your goals, then be sure to check out FourBlock. This organization works with higher education institutions and various industries to support the military-affiliated community. It does so in a way that personalizes the experience, bridges employment needs, and even changes lives.
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