Hiring Our Heroes Ready, Aim, Hire!

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Hiring Our HeroesReady, Aim, Hire!
Josh McDaniel, Director United States Department
of Labor, Veterans Employment and Training
Service
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Mission VETS Proudly Serves Veterans Service
Members! We Provide Resources and Expertise to
Assist and Prepare them to Obtain Meaningful
Careers, Maximize their Employment Opportunities,
and Protect their Employment Rights.
VisionMeaningful and Successful Careers for all
Veterans
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Overview

• Employment Situation of Veterans
• Hiring Our Heroes National Campaign
• What We Do
• Going Forward

There is no way of making a business successful
that can vie with the policy of promoting those
who render exceptional service - Andrew
Carnegie
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Employment Situation of Veterans
- Unemployment Data by County (MSA)
Metro Areas Aug2011
Boulder, CO 6.5
Colorado Springs, CO 9.3
Denver-Aurora, CO 8.5
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 6.6
Grand Junction, CO 9.5
Greeley, CO 9.4
Pueblo, CO 10.2

NOTE Data for Sept 2011 not available.
Source US DOL BLS Local Area Unemployment
Survey Unemployment rates by MSA, not seasonally
adjusted May 2011
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Employment Situation of Veterans

• Colorado
• 421K Veterans
• 38K Women
• 12K Natl Guard/Reserves
• 61K Active Military
• 3600 Transition Assistance Program (TAP) per year
• 49K utilized WFCs
• 8.7 Unemployment Rate Annual Avg. 2010
• Natl Guard/Reserve
• 40 Unemployment in some units

• National
• 23M Veterans
• 1.8M Women
• 1.2M Unemployed Vets
• 8.7 Unemployment Rate Annual Avg. 2010
• 18-24 Y/O Vet
• 21.9 Unemployment Rate compared to Non-Vets same
  age at 19.4 in 2010
• Natl Guard/Reserves
• 14 Unemployment Rate
• DoD to spend 1B on UCX in 2012

Source US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics March
11, 2011 Economic News Release Employment
Situation of Veterans Summary CPS Employment
Status of the Civilian noninstitutional
population by state, veteran status, and age,
annual average 2010
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Employment Situation of Veterans

• Post 9/11 GI Bill caused influx of military and
  veterans pursuing post-secondary education
• Some veterans struggle to adapt to Academia
• Veteran unemployment rates were lower for those
  with higher education

• 1 in 5 vets attend college
• 88 of vets drop out in 1st year
• Balancing academic requirements with other
  responsibilities
• Managing service-connected injuries
• 3 Vet graduation rate compared to 30 for
  civilian counterparts
• 8 of 10 schools drawing most Post 9-11 GI Bill
  are for-profit schools
• 8 have markedly higher rate of withdrawl in 1st
  year compared to Public schools

Source Chad Storlie, author of Combat Leader to
Corporate Leader American Council on Education
(ACE). 2009. Military Service Members and
Veterans in Higher Education Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pension Analysis of VA and
Schools Data
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Employment Situation of Veterans

• Over 27 Private Job Assistance programs targeted
  for Veterans
• 5 Federal/DoD
• Numerous State/Local
• Existing Environment
• Creates confusion, duplication of effort for all
  involved.

VETS Statutory Mandate
Vets
Reserve Component
Employers
TSMs
Spouses
Wounded Warriors
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Employment Situation of Veterans

• Our Challenge
• 29 of the clients we serve are 55
• 10 of the clients we serve Separated within the
  last 3 years
• 50 Enter Employment 79 Retain Employment
• Most Recently Separated enroll in
  College/University or not participate in the
  labor force

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National Campaign
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Mega Hiring Fairs

• March 2011 First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr.
  Biden announce the Joining Forces initiative.
  Hiring Our Heroes and 100 Mega Hiring Fairs.
• Hiring Our Heroes Mega-Hiring Fairs will
  typically connect over 100 companies with more
  than 1000 veterans per event
• Chicago, New York, Denver, Los Angeles, Colorado
  Springs
• July 10, 2011 - LA Hosts the Duke and Duchess of
  Cambridge at Veterans Mega Job Fair at Sony
  Studios
• Prince William called it "one of the seriously
  most important events during their 12-day North
  American tour. This is because it's about men and
  women, who with their own free will, choose to
  put their life on the line for their country.
  William said we both have friends back in
  Britain who could benefit from an initiative like
  this."

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Hiring Our Heroes Los Angeles
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Hiring Our HeroesWW Transition Assistance

• Partnering with USO, Hire Heroes USA, RLL, Fort
  Carson to Develop
• Quarterly Transition Workshops
• Intensive resume writing, interviewing, goal
  setting, basic financial planning for job search
• Career Opportunity Days
• Connect private sector employers with talented
  wounded warriors

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Hiring Our HeroesPost 9-11 Veteran Program

• Partnering with SVA and IAVA to Develop
• Nationwide Internship Program for Student
  Veterans
• Tailored Hiring Fairs for Student Veterans
• Building campus recruitment programs for Student
  Veterans

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Hiring Our HeroesWomen Veteran and Military
Spouse Employment Program

• Partnering with BPW Foundation and MSEP to
  Develop
• Connect women veterans and military spouses with
  careers
• Collaborate with White House on Joining Forces
  Initiative
• Building extensive women in business mentors
  program

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What We Do
- State Employment Agencies - Jobs for
Veterans State Grant (JVSG) - Veterans
Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) -
Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP)
- Stand Downs - Incarcerated
Veterans Transition Program (IVTP)
- Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
- REALifelines
- National Guard/Reserve
Outreach Program
Prepare
Provide
Protect
USERRA
Veterans Preference
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History of VETS
8/26/1776 - The United States enacted its first
law promising half-pay for life "where a man's
war service caused loss of a limb or other
disability severe enough to interfere with his
making a living.
11/11/1918 - World War I ends Federal Agencies
tasked with finding jobs for returning vets.
Estab. "veterans employment bureaus.
1928 - Congress estab. veterans' employment
offices in larger metropolitan areas June 1932
Veterans Placement Offices in the US, located in
26 states and the District of Columbia.
6/6/1933 - President Roosevelt signed the
Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.)
formally establishing the United States
Employment Service (USES) to be a national system
of public employment offices, with a component
called the Veterans' Placement Service "to
maintain a veterans' service to be devoted to
securing employment for veterans..."
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History of VETS

• 6/22/1944 - G.I. Bill was passed to assist in the
  conversion to a civilian-based economy and to
  help veterans reintegrate into civilian life.
  LVER position created.
• 5/13/1977 President Carter signed the Economic
  Stimulus Appropriations Act that created DVOP
  staff.

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What We Do
Jobs for Veterans State Grants
41 JVSG Staff 79 One-Stops in CO Serving over
421K veterans Total Served by WFCs 49K Total
Served by DV/LV 5K TSM 3900 Disabled Vet
8K Recent Sep 5K
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Veterans Representatives
Disabled Veteran Outreach Program (DVOP)
Specialist Duties

• Facilitation of intensive services to veterans
  with
• special employment and training needs.
• 2. DVOP Specialists target services to
• Special Disabled veterans
• Disabled veterans
• Other Eligible Veterans
• 3. Conduct outreach to locate veterans for
• intensive services market services to
  clients
• in programs such as VA Voc Rehab
• Civic and service organizations State
  Vocational Rehab Agencies

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What We Do
Roles of Veterans Representatives
DVOP Specialist Duties
4. Provide and facilitate a full range of
employment and training services to veterans,
with the primary focus of meeting the needs of
those who are unable to obtain employment on
their own. 5. DVOP Specialists facilitate the
Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Employment
Workshops.
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What We Do
Local Veteran Employment Representative Duties

• Promote veterans as job seekers who have highly
  marketable skills and experience.
• 2. Advocate for employment and training
  opportunities with
• - business/industry
• - community-based organizations
• - unions
• - apprenticeship programs

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What We Do
Roles of Veterans Representatives
Local Veteran Employment Representative Duties
3. Establish and maintain regular contact
with employers to include federal
contractors 4. Provide and facilitate a full
range of employment, training and
placement services to meet the needs of
veterans within target categories. These
may include - Workshops - Job
development/referrals - Vocational
guidance - Labor market information -
Training Assistance
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What We Do
Roles of Veterans Representatives
Local Veteran Employment Representative Duties
5. Provide and facilitate the Transition
Assistance Program (TAP) Employment Workshops
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What We Do
Priority of Service
On November 2, 2002, the Jobs for Veterans Act
was signed and became Public Law 107-288, which
creates a priority of service for Veterans (and
some spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility
requirements for participation in all
Department of Labor funded training programs.
Job Training and Education Veterans may
qualify for a scholarship or tuition assistance
for re-training into a new field or upgrade their
current skills to improve their marketability.
Placement Services The Veterans Representative
can assist in securing an interview with a
potential employer by matching skills to the
needs of an established network of employers in
their local area. Job Referrals Veterans
always receive top-priority in job referrals.
That means veterans will learn about available
jobs before the rest of the job-seeking public.
Jobs for Veterans Act, Public Law 107-288,
Section 4215 (a) (2) (3)
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What We Do
State Employment Agencies
Services for Job Seekers

• Job Boards
• Employment Referrals
• Assessments
• Telephones, Fax, Copy Machines
• Computer/Internet Access
• Unemployment Assistance

• Resume/Interview Help
• Vocational Guidance
• Labor Market Information
• Education/Training Assistance
• Work Study Opportunities
• Credentialing and Apprenticeships
• State/National Job Banks

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What We Do
Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Goal

• To increase the employment, retention, and
  earnings of participants, and increase
  occupational skill attainment by participants.
• Improve the quality of the workforce, reduce
  welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity
  and competitiveness of the nation.

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What We Do
Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Key Concepts

• Managed at the local level
• One Stop System
• Universal Access
• Customer Choice/Empowerment

• Business Leadership and Oversight
• Accountability
• Training must be in demand occupations
• Not an entitlement program

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Going Forward

• Develop innovative partnerships to assist all
  veterans to enter employment in Colorado
• Coordinate with Career Services within
  College/University system to assist with
  placement of student veterans
• Workshops, Job Clubs, Hiring Fairs

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For More Information Josh McDaniel,
Director United States Department of Labor Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Veterans
Employment and Training 633 17th Street, 7th
Floor Denver, CO 80202 Phone [phone] Email
mcdaniel.joshua_at_dol.gov