Virginia awarded $3.4M grant to develop re-employment strategies for transitioning veterans

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $3,444,620 to the commonwealth of Virginia to identify promising practices and to explore, develop and test strategies to improve the employment outcomes of veterans. The initiative is part of the Obama administration's ongoing focus on job-driven training principles that encourage innovation and creativity in developing effective re-employment strategies to help the unemployed return to the workforce.

"As our brave men and women return from military duty, we have an obligation to ensure we are doing all we can to make their transition to civilian life as smooth as possible," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Portia Wu. "This funding will help the state develop strategies and programs so that veterans quickly find good jobs."

The commonwealth of Virginia is experiencing a record number of military personnel transitioning from active military duty into the civilian workforce, with the number of veterans seeking assistance at American Job Centers throughout Virginia doubling in recent years. While there are numerous programs and services designed to assist veterans and their families, the funding announced today will enhance coordination and alignment of these services.

Virginia's Community Colleges system, in partnership with the Virginia Employment Commission, will use the funds to:

• design and implement a bridge between transitioning military personnel and employers who have veteran-compatible employment opportunities;
• create and validate a process to align veterans' Military Occupational Specialties across Virginia's Community Colleges system;
• develop statewide industry-sector strategies in high-growth occupations and identify and link veterans to those jobs; and
• perform a comprehensive assessment to identify gaps in services and develop recommendations to fill those gaps.

Veterans interested in obtaining employment services are encouraged to visit their local American Job Center.