Veterans and transitioning service members with service-connected disabilities will soon have more career opportunities, thanks to VBA’s VR&E signing a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) on Sept. 29.
The VR&E and VETS agreement will help disabled Veterans find suitable employment by increasing the number of VR&E participants who can enroll in apprenticeship programs. It will also link Veterans with competitive pay career opportunities and give employers a dedicated stream of transitioning Veterans. According to the Department of Labor, apprenticeships are proven to have high retention rates and have competitive average annual starting salaries of over $70,000.
Additionally, the agreement also formalizes a joint workgroup that will meet regularly to engage employers to design and deliver training, improve customer experience, and analyze up to date labor metrics from State Workforce Agencies to guide job seeking Veterans.
“At VBA, strong cross-agency partnerships are core to the accomplishment of our mission to deliver benefits and services to the Veteran community,” said Under Secretary for Benefits, Paul Lawrence, Ph.D. “The work we’ve accomplished together with the VETS team is a perfect example of high-performing, integrated partnerships paying off in better opportunities for Veterans.”
VR&E assists transitioning service members and Veterans with service-connected disabilities to find and achieve their employment goals. The program focuses on individualized, customer-centric service delivery, such as vocational counseling, complimentary training, a monthly living allowance, and job-seeking assistance.
DL’s VETS program prepares Veterans, service members and spouses for meaningful careers. It provides eligible participants with resources and expertise, protects their employment rights, and promotes their employment opportunities.
To learn more and apply today for Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E).
To learn more about the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service.
Peter Granato is a management analyst for VBA’s Veteran Readiness & Employment service.
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