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Budget proposes $150,000 to help Virginia employers increase employment opportunities for veterans.
In keeping with Governor Bob McDonnell's stated objective of making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in the nation, his proposed budget for the 2013 General Assembly session includes significant additional support for veterans’ issues, including more than $2 million in funding.
A 'huge win'
The V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) Program—a certification program that is designed to incentivize Virginia companies of all sizes to hire and retain veterans for at least one year—will receive $150,000 per year to assist Virginia employers to increase employment opportunities for veterans. Through the V3 program, Virginia employers receive assistance to revamp their recruitment and retention programs to increase employment opportunities for veterans.
"We had a huge win for the Virginia Values Vets program when the governor released his FY13 budget and made V3 his number 1 program," says Joseph C. Barto III, founder and president of TMG, and program manager of Virginia Values Vets.
According to V3, Virginia’s veteran unemployment rate is 10.6 percent, and the unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 averaged 30 percent in 2012. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services helps companies gain V3 training and certification by teaching them how to hire veterans and how to track the business impact of recapitalizing the workforce with veterans. Since June 2012, the V3 initiative has trained 336 employers. The total number of jobs pledged to hire veterans is 3,038; the actual veterans hired was 654.
"One in 10 Virginians is a veteran. The more than 820,000 men and women who wore the uniform of our country deserve our eternal thanks for protecting the freedoms we hold so dear. They served Virginia and the nation, and now Virginia must serve them," says McDonnell.
"Building on the last three successful legislative sessions, my budget proposals for the 2013 General Assembly keep us on the right path to making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in America and improving services for the brave men and women who have worn the uniform. I am especially proud of our new employment initiative—the V3 Program," adds McDonnell. "V3 stands for Virginia Values Veterans, and that is just what this program does?it helps Virginia employers sharpen their focus on hiring, training, and retaining our veterans. Veterans are trained, skilled, and highly motivated, and I encourage each and every employer in Virginia to affirm their commitment to hiring veterans by joining the V3 Program."
Before the certification process can take place, an organization must take a comprehensive Vet Ready Assessment to ensure that the necessary components are there for successful implementation. Companies that apply for certification must have the ability to provide entry-level workers with a minimum of $25,000 in compensation and medical benefits. There has to be a new-hire orientation for veterans and skills training. The organization also must commit to supervisor leader training related to new-hire retention.
Engagement of veterans
"Every year thousands of U.S. military veterans enter the civilian job market," according to Emily King in the ASTD Infoline, "Onboarding Veterans Into the Civilian Workforce." "In fact, the Department of Veterans Affairs projects that more than one million will transition out of the military by 2014. As an under-tapped source of talent, this segment of the workforce warrants a closer look."
King writes that "early engagement with the hiring organization is essential for the retention of veterans. Data shows they tend to leave civilian employers within the first three years. Much of that time is spent learning to be productive in the environment. It is not unusual for a veteran to move around to three or more jobs before finding one that fits."
When it comes to veterans, generic orientation training can be unsuitable because it fails to address the change from military to civilian work. "Providing some tailored onboarding goes a long way toward building early engagement, which, in turn, is linked to retention. This could look like adding a few days' worth of content related to making a smooth transition into civilian culture, one-to-one coaching during the first 90 days, or self-study resources and materials," King writes.
The top five ideas for engaging new hires are
- Provide tailored onboarding first.
- Include one-to-one mentoring through the first month of employment.
- Launch an employee network or affiliation group to provide early and ongoing support.
- Provide self-paced learning resources and tools.
- Actively engage the employee’s direct manager in the transition process.
"Veterans have never had to negotiate salary, ask for a raise, or make a bid for promotion. View a new veteran in a similar way that you would a new college graduate. Know that they are coming from a completely different environment, and don’t make assumptions about what they know," King explains.
For more information about Virginia Values Vets, contact Barto at jbarto@tmgva.com or 757.218.8444.