Our Core Values

Integrity – Mission-Driven – Service-Oriented – Build Lasting Relationships –

Inclusion – Lead with Purpose – Think Big

About Us – Our entire staff is personally connected to the communities we serve, military, diverse-ability and justice-involved. It’s personal integrity for us. We are a mission-driven organization. Service-oriented and steadfast in advocating for underserved talent to ensure they have opportunities to get to an interview without the barriers, discrimination and bias. By changing the way small businesses connect with the right talent they need for their business, we build lasting relationships. Changing the narrative to a skills-based model for inclusion in the hiring process because we lead with purpose. We Think BIG impact for small businesses.

Our History

The ASCEND brand was born in 2018 in Simpsonville, SC as Veterans ASCEND. Recognizing that Veterans often struggle with transition, creating resumes, and were often rejected by applicant tracking systems, this platform was designed for Service Members and Veterans to match with employers without the use of resumes.

Also recognizing the challenges that our Military Spouses face as a result of constant permanent change of station (PCS), history gaps on resumes, and unconscious and conscious bias, the Veterans ASCEND service expanded in 2020 to include the entire Military Family.

Once again the platform expanded, this time as Talents ASCEND® in 2022. The platform itself was given the name CATE®, Career AI Talent Equalizer and opened to the entire career seeking population. While the focus remains on our underserved communities; service members, veterans, military and veteran spouses, military dependents 18 and older, first responders, those with different abilities, and justice involved individuals, we also wanted to be the future of hiring for the entire US population.

As the Talents ASCEND® Corporation works with employers and candidates, we wanted to make sure that we continued a role of advocacy within our community. With this in mind, The ASCEND Collective® was established.

The ASCEND Collective® is the non-profit division of the ASCEND brand. We are on a mission to transform the employment landscape for diverse-ability individuals, veterans, and justice-impacted individuals through three dynamic programs:

🎖 Veterans ASCEND – Helping veterans and military spouses translate their unique skills and experiences into meaningful employment opportunities.

♿ Ability ASCEND – Supporting individuals with diverse-abilities to secure jobs that leverage their unique talents without bias.

🌄 Mission2 ASCEND – Assisting those impacted by the justice system to rebuild their lives through gainful employment by focusing on their strengths and skills.

🌟 Our approach is simple yet revolutionary: We eliminate the need for traditional resumes and focus on aligning candidates’ Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes (KSAs) with employers’ needs using our AI-enabled matching system.

This is more than just job placement—it’s about personal branding, empowerment, and breaking down barriers to employment. We’re here to support our clients every step of the way, from initial assessment to continuous support.

Mission2 ASCEND is the third and final addition to The ASCEND Collective. It’s focus will be assisting justice involved individuals with finding viable employment.