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Tijuana Flats and its nonprofit organization, the Just in Queso Foundation, have partnered with the Orlando Vet Center to create the Chester’s Working Warriors Fellowship, a paid “on-the-job training” program for military veterans.
This program aims to educate and teach basic business skills to promising military veterans in order to prepare them for an entry-level professional position. This part-time program also supports participants with resume-building workshops and interview training to give them the skills and confidence to present themselves as working professionals. The creation of the Fellowship responds to Tijuana Flats’ continued efforts to support the military and their families.
“The people in our armed services, past, present, and future, deserve the best,” says Just in Queso president Dede Franklin. “As a company, we are passionate about doing everything we can to take care of them and make their lives better.”
Veterans who participate in the program have the opportunity to shadow some of Tijuana Flats’ corporate departments such as accounting, marketing, human resources, development, training, and nonprofit management. Upon program completion, participants will have a completed resume and cover letter, as well as a letter of recommendation from Tijuana Flats.
“This is truly a great opportunity for veterans who want to learn the necessary skills to start their lives as professionals,” says Rafiq Raza, Outreach Therapist for the Orlando Vet Center. “This program offers a unique set of benefits they can get nowhere else.”
The Fellowship is named after Tijuana Flats CEO Brian Wheeler’s father, Chester Wheeler, who served in the Air National Guard and dedicated most of his professional life to the military aeronautical engineering industry. Chester was also former chief financial officer of Tijuana Flats. The program is currently filled and employs two veterans, Aaron Waldron and Jennifer Reynolds. Waldron is working with the Just in Queso Foundation team, while Reynolds is working with the Human Resources, Accounting, and Training departments. The next available positions will be announced in June.
