TEXAS LEADS THE NATION HELPING VETERANS GET JOBS
According to the most recent data provided by the United States Department of Labor, Texas has worked to try and help veterans get jobs. During a 12-month period, the Texas Veterans Commission (in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission) assisted 32,445 veterans obtain employment in the State of Texas. Additionally, this total number represents the highest number of any state in the United States, and in Texas, the unemployment rate for a veteran in 2013 was 6.6%. Currently, the U.S. Department of Labor monitors a set of performance measures to calculate the efficiency of states’ veteran employment obtainment systems. The number of veterans that achieve employment is of the utmost importance, with a particular emphasis placed on those veterans challenged with significant obstacles to employment.
A Veterans Employment Services Director for the Texas Veterans Commission, has stated that “Our employment counselors are well trained and focused on working one-on-one with unemployed veterans. The organization is especially committed to providing intensive services to help veterans overcome employment barriers.”
The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), in coordination with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), provides a number of services to assist veterans seeking job opportunities. The TVC is staffed with over 150 regional employment representatives at 75 locations across the state, that provide a full range of employment services through one-on-one assistance to veterans with job applications, resume preparation, job matching and searches, as well as other services for those with special needs. The Veterans Commission also helps administer programs to aid veterans such as the Transition Assistance Program and the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program.
A central challenge to veterans’ employment is to increase the demand for veteran employees. The Texas Veterans Commission demonstrates to employers how veterans are particularly well-suited for today’s fast-paced work environment due to the strong communication, technical and teamwork skills gained during their military service. Through their efforts, the TVC has won 12 national employment awards from both veteran and workforce organizations in 2008 and 2009.
In 2008, the Texas Workforce Commission established the Texas Veterans Leadership Program (TVLP) to provide assistance to returning veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan. The TVLP was modeled on the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program, which was approved by President Reagan in 1981.
In conjunction with the TVLP, the Workforce Commission has implemented a number of enhancements to provide additional assistance to veterans. One such, development is an icon in, WorkInTexas that enables job seekers to easily identify those postings/employers who have indicated an interest in or requirement for hiring a veteran, as well as an icon denoting a veteran-only posting. An additional enhancement, implemented in 2007, provided for a first day veterans’ hold placement on all job postings to ensure that veterans seeking work have access to job openings before the general public.
Due to the committed work of the Texas Veterans Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission, our state serves as the model on how government can thank our men and women for their courageous service to our country by helping to re-integrate them into “civilian” society. Additional information on veteran job placements services can be found at Texas Veterans Commission and by calling the Texas Workforce Commission at 1-888-VET-TEX1.
If you have any questions, comments or ideas regarding any of the information described in this article, please don’t hesitate to contact either my Capitol or District office. My offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part)County . He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
