The October 2014 unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Veterans as a whole are doing better than non-Veterans. Gulf War II Veteran unemployment rate increased slightly this month, but is still 2.8 percent lower than this time last year.
The 12-month rolling averages show that Veterans and non-Veterans overall are doing better than they were a year ago. Compared to last month, Veteran unemployment rates increased by one percent and non-Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .3 percent.
Analyze the data yourself at https://news.va.gov/resources/unemployment/
Gulf War II Veterans
From September to October 2013, Gulf War II Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .1 percent, inconsistent with this year’s increase. From September to October 2013, non-Veteran unemployment rates remained the same, inconsistent with this year’s decrease. Overall Veteran unemployment rates increased from September to October 2013, inconsistent with this years decrease.
Women Veterans
From September to October 2013 unemployment rates for women Veterans increased, inconsistent with this year’s September to October decrease of 2.4 percent. Non-Veteran women unemployment rates decreased or remained the same from September to October 2013 and 2014.
Gulf War II women Veterans specifically are fairing worse than non-Veteran women. Gulf War II women Veteran unemployment rates increased 1.2 percent, a inconsistent with the previous year. Women Veterans as whole are doing slightly better than their non-Veteran counterparts. All women Veterans unemployment rate is .1 percent lower than non-Veteran women.
Male Veterans
Male Veterans as a whole are doing better than their non-Veteran counterparts. October marks the third 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 increased .1 percent and sits .9 percent lower than non-Veteran males.
From September to October 2013, Gulf War II male Veteran unemployment rates decreased by .1 percent which is inconsistent with this month’s .9 percent increase. The October Gulf War II male Veteran unemployment rate is 1 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/
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