Posts Tagged ‘workforce’

In a bid to assist unemployed veterans who are no longer eligible for education and training programs, the Labor and Veterans Affairs departments are offering up to 12 months of paid training to veterans aged 35 to 60. “They may have had entitlement to education benefits at one time, but have either used them or the time frame to use them has passed,” said Curtis Coy, the VA’s deputy undersecretary for economic opportunity. “This generous new benefit geared toward this specific cohort of veterans provides them the opportunity to jump start a new career that they may not have otherwise been able to afford …

With veterans’ unemployment hovering at a record high rate and plans for 100,000 service members to leave the military over the next five years, the nation must make addressing the challenges of veterans a priority, according to a commentary in the Washington Post. Veterans offer valuable skills to employers, yet many companies do not appreciate how the skills veterans hone on and off the battlefield can benefit them. “We need to show them and offer them tools to better incorporate veterans into the workplace …

A survey released Wednesday by Blue Star Families found that 62 percent of military family members who believed their service member had exhibited signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, regardless of any official diagnosis, did not seek treatment due to doubts about the military’s support system. The finding demonstrates there is still much to be done to help service members and their families deal with the invisible wounds of war, concluded the nonprofit dedicated to supporting military families …

The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee voted Friday to move the Labor Department’s Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) to the Veterans Affairs Department, a far-reaching move that would bring together all veteran employment programs under one roof to provide greater access to programs and services for veterans. “For decades, as part of DOL, the VETS program has not been as effective as it should be and it is time to try a different approach …

An initiative spearheaded by Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear scored its first significant achievement with the enactment of state legislation providing adoption benefits to members of the National Guard. The adoption benefits measure was the first major initiative to emerge from the Military Spouse Task Force established last October by the first lady …

A new guide released by the White House compiles information from a range of sources designed to help prospective employers recruit and hire military veterans. The 26-page guide answers questions such as how to locate and hire veterans, how to accommodate employees with disabilities, how to address veterans’ mental health concerns and how to interview veterans. It includes guidelines for receiving tax credits, accessing recruitment resources and seeking other information on hiring, training, retaining and supporting veterans in the workforce, according to a post on the White House blog. The guide is intended to provide an organization the information needed to recruit, retain, support and educate veterans in its home area and across the nation.

Dayton-area employers are expanding internship programs, among other initiatives, in an effort to ensure the region can accommodate an estimated 14 percent growth in aerospace employment over the next four years. Aerospace is the second largest of Ohio’s technology industries and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the state’s largest single-site employer, reports the Dayton Daily News. Area universities are aligning their programs to support R&D and other fields needed by Wright-Patterson …

Unveiling a new hiring initiative to aid military spouses, First Lady Michelle Obama announced Wednesday that the Joining Forces program had secured commitments for more than 15,000 jobs that will allow military spouses and veterans to work at or close to home. The new effort will offer spouses thousands of at-home employment opportunities in areas such as customer support and telemarketing, as well as jobs that are located near military installations …

The Labor Department would offer additional Transition Assistance Program classes to veterans at a location near their home under legislation introduced last week by Sens. John Boozman, Mark Begich and Marco Rubio. The 2012 TAP Modernization Act would establish a pilot program at locations other than military installations to assist veterans and military families with job training as they transition into civilian life after separating from the military …

The White House’s personnel chief is urging federal agencies to comply with a law designed to protect National Guard and reserve personnel from adverse job actions resulting from their military service. “We must continue to pay close attention to our returning Reserve and Guard population and ensure we manage their reintegration and maintain their professional trajectory …