September 2014 Veteran unemployment; Veterans doing better than their civilian counterparts

The September 2014 unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Veterans as a whole are doing slightly better than non-Veterans.

The 12-month rolling averages show that Veterans and non-Veterans overall are doing better than they were a year ago. Gulf War II Veteran unemployment has decreased 2.283 percent since September 2013.

Compared to last month, Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .9 percent and non-Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .4 percent. Gulf War II Veteran unemployment rates decreased by 1.9 percent, a sharp decline likely attributed to the start of the school season.

Analyze the data yourself at https://news.va.gov/resources/unemployment/

Gulf War II Veterans

From August to September 2013, Gulf War II Veteran unemployment rates increased by .1 percent, inconsistent with this year’s decrease. In both August to September 2013 and 2014, non-Veteran unemployment rates decreased. Overall Veteran unemployment rates increased from August to September 2013, inconsistent with this years decrease.

From August to September 2013 unemployment rates for women Veterans decreased, inconsistent with this year’s August to September increase of 2.4 percent. Non-Veteran women unemployment rates decreased from August to September 2013 and 2014.

Women Veterans

Gulf War II women Veterans specifically fairing worse than non-Veteran women. Gulf War II women Veteran unemployment rates increased 2.4 percent, a trend consistent with the previous year. Women Veterans as whole are also are doing worse than their non-Veteran counterparts. All women Veterans unemployment rate is 2.1 percent higher than non-Veteran women.

Male Veterans

Male Veterans as a whole are doing slightly better than their non-Veteran counterparts. September marks the second concurrent month since May 2012 that the male Veteran unemployment rate was equal to or lower than non-Veteran males. This month the male Veteran unemployment rate decreased 1.3 percent and now sits 1.3 percent lower than non-Veteran males.

From August to September 2013, Gulf War II male Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .2 percent which is inconsistent with this month’s 2.9 percent decrease. The September Gulf War II male Veteran unemployment rate is .2 percent lower than their non-Veteran counterparts.

Online Employment Assistance

In April, VA launched the Veterans Employment Center, a new online platform which supports transitioning service members, veterans, and their spouses looking for new career opportunities. This site helps simplify the job search process by providing the most important online career tools within government in one place. This tool is a result of collaboration between the Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Job seekers can use the “military skills translator” to match military career tracks with civilian occupations and critical skills, create and upload a resume online, and find public and private job openings in a single search. Employers are provided with a direct feed of resumes from Veteran applicants, can view reverse skills translation (military to civilian skills) for applicants, and can make public their own Veterans hiring goals.

Watch a video about the new employment center here https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs.

Analyze the data yourself at https://news.va.gov/resources/unemployment/