As of December 2012, there are over 323,000 veterans in Los Angeles County, and with more of our military men and women returning home, the needs on our workforce development and employment systems will not only grow but require changes to address these needs. Veterans face very specific and unique issues that require us to reassess recruitment, placement, and transferability of skills at both a training/college level as well as employment.
Key Points to Remember:
- While a myriad of services exist for Veterans, ensuring they are connected (and remain connected) with those service remains a challenge.
- The Army launched a “Hire a Veteran” campaign aimed at debunking the myths around hiring disabled veterans.
- Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS) is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, to serve America’s veterans and separated service members by preparing them for meaningful careers, providing employment resources and expertise, and protecting their employment rights.
- Many universities and community colleges in Los Angeles County such as Cal Poly Pomona, Los Angeles City College, Cerritos College, Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, etc. have set up service/resource centers specifically for veterans, so as to help veterans with their career pathways.
- Service centers for veterans in California: Goodwill Southern California, US Veterans Initiative, etc.
- Many of our Veterans come back with very specific skills, training and coursework, but challenges exist on transferring that training and coursework to colleges (for degrees/certificates) and also in employment.
Data & Analytics:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment Situation of Veterans Summary” – March 2013
- California Department of Veteran Affairs, “Snapshot of California Veterans” – December 2012
- USA TODAY, “Recent war vets face hiring obstacle: PTSD bias” – April 2013
LAEDC Efforts:
- LAEDC LEADS & SIGNS ONTO TROOP TALENT ACT LETTER – SUPPORTED BY 14 CIVIC STEWARDS THROUGHOUT CA – May 29, 2013
- LAEDC issues letter in support of Troop Talent Act – May 15, 2013
- LAEDC convened a Veterans Subgroup of our Workforce Development Committee to better understand challenges faced by Veterans in transferring coursework and training into degree programs. The Veterans Subgroup is currently working on creating a pilot project with local colleges to improve transfers in specific high-growth industries.
What’s Next?:
Legislative Updates: