Tag Archives: veterans

OPINION: Registered Apprenticeships benefit Idaho’s people, economy

Thursday, November 10, 2022

By Jani Revier, director of Idaho Department of Labor

Nov. 14-20 is National Apprenticeship Week and marks the Photo of Jani Revier, Idaho Department of Labor directorcelebration of a proven and time-honored career pathway. Right now, 236 Idaho businesses sponsor apprenticeships, with more than 1,800 participating Idahoans getting paid on the job.

Like many Americans, Idahoans have seen sharp increases in housing costs while the consumer price index has risen 8.2% in just one year. Facing these circumstances, Idaho’s workforce needs competitive job opportunities now more than ever, and the state’s employers need the labor. Continue reading →

Idaho Labor offices throughout the state help veterans gain their postsecondary education

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 2, 2022
Media Contact: Georgia.Smith@labor.idaho.gov

Steve, a retired veteran from the Idaho National Guard, didn’t think attending a job fair would change his life.

But it did. In an amazing way.

To get there, Steve reached out to Kenneth Scott, an Idaho Department of Labor veterans’ representative in Post Falls who provided him with the tools he needed to reach his career goals.

Nowadays, Steve is seen regularly at recruiting events representing Heritage Health in an HR role. He recruits veterans, just like him, for jobs with his employer. He says Idaho Labor’s support made a huge difference in his life.

And he’s not the only veteran, or spouse of a veteran, who may be eligible to receive this kind of support with finding a job.

PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

With 116,000 veterans scattered around Idaho, they reside in various counties. According to the 2020 five-year American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, the top 10 counties with the largest share of the population include Elmore (22.1%), Adams (16.6%), Clearwater (14.7%), Lemhi (14.3%), Boise (13.6%), Benewah (13.0%), Gem (12.5%), Bonner (11.9%), Idaho (11.7%) and Lewis (11.7%).

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Idaho Veteran Census Data Important for Providing Services

Idaho is home to an estimated 116,157 veterans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey1. That translates to a 9.1% share of the state’s overall population of individuals 18 years and older compared with the nation’s 18,230,322 veterans at a share of 7.3% of total population 18 years and older.

Data on where veterans and other characteristics are gathered for myriad reasons:

  • State and federal officials determine how and where to provide government services to assist veterans in all aspects of returning to civilian life. Some veterans find their specific jobs in the military do not transition to the civilian workforce, such as personnel who load armaments or who are involved in large-scale field logistics. At the county and state government levels, staff are assigned to help veterans find jobs, provide college and career counseling and making sure they understand their military benefits. Some federal jobs provide preference to veteran hiring by giving additional points to a job application. It is helpful to have someone who knows how to help newly-separated military veterans navigate these benefits.
  • It helps to know where veterans are living, so when Veteran Administration officials decide where to locate clinics, hospitals and long-term care facilities, they are placed in a centralized spot for access.
  • Many private employers prefer to hire veterans based on the levels of discipline and training that translates to resilience and solid work ethic.

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U.S. Department of Labor Recognizes Three Idaho Businesses for Supporting Veterans

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Jan. 7, 2021
Media Contacts: Darlene Carnopis, darlene.carnopis@labor.idaho.gov

National Native American Construction Inc. of Coeur d’ Alene, Independence Indoor Shooting of Meridian and Treasure Valley Advanced Concepts LLC of Nampa each received a 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Program Award. This U.S. Department of Labor program recognizes U.S. employers for recruiting, hiring and retaining America’s veterans.

The awards were presented in November at a virtual ceremony hosted by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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Labor Program Offers Support to Recently Released Incarcerated Vets

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Feb. 28, 2020
Information Contact: Georgia Smith, (208) 332-3570 ext. 2102

More than 70 previously incarcerated veterans in Idaho have benefited from a variety of services provided through the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program since its start in July 2018, and officials hope to help an additional 75 veterans over the next year and a half.

The federally funded program, managed by the Idaho Department of Labor, can provide services such as classroom training, on-the-job-training, occupational skills training, and apprenticeship training and retraining. Additional support may include funding for work tools and clothing, rental assistance, car repairs, transportation and child care.

The program is intended to ease the transition from incarceration – whether city, county, state or federal facility – to employment with the right support structure in place.

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U.S. Department of Labor Recognizes Three Idaho Businesses for Supporting Veterans

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Nov. 8, 2019
Information Contact: Georgia Smith, (208) 332-3570 ext. 2102

LA Aluminum Casting Company of Hayden, Sunterra Supports Services LLC of Idaho Falls and Intermountain Polygraph Services of Twin Falls each received a 2019 HIRE Vets Medallion Program Demonstration Award. The U.S. Department of Labor program recognizes job creators for their leadership in recruiting, employing and retaining America’s veterans.

The awards were presented Nov. 6 at a ceremony hosted by U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Continue reading →

Labor Program Offers Support to Recently Released Incarcerated Vets

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 13, 2019
Information Contact: Robert Feliciano (208) 364-7785, ext. 3624

Veterans who have been incarcerated – whether city, county, state or federal facility – and have been released within the last 12 months, may be eligible for services under the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP).

The program, managed by the Idaho Department of Labor, can provide services such as classroom training, on-the-job-training, occupational skills training, apprenticeship training and retraining. Additional support may include funding for work clothing and boots, transportation, childcare, vehicle repairs and rent.

Continue reading →

JobScape Connects Veterans with Civilian Job Openings

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: May 16, 2019
Information Contact: Jessica Beaver-Nelson, (208) 332-3570
ext. 4415

Veterans can now find Idaho jobs and training opportunities directly related to their military skills and service at labor.idaho.gov/jobscape.

JobScape allows job seekers and others to learn more about an occupation’s hourly and annual wages, worker demand, current employment numbers, annual job openings, and it provides a direct link to current, relevant job listings. Searches can be made statewide or by region.

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How Can a Vet Rep Help You Find a Job?

Veterans Representative Randy Wilde answers questions about how Idaho Department of Labor employees help veterans find jobs.

What does a Vet Rep do?

We have two types of Veterans Representatives: Local Veterans Employment Representatives and Disabled Veteran Outreach Program specialists. We currently have two local employment reps and 11 disabled veteran program specialists positioned throughout the state based on the veteran population within cities, counties and regions.

Randy Wilde, veteran repI am a Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialist. My responsibilities are to provide intensive services to all veterans with barriers to employment including service-related disabilities, homelessness, felonies, etc. We help in many ways including assessing the veterans’ capabilities and what they need to do to become employable. We also use other resources such as Veterans Affairs Medical Center, River of Life, El-Ada, Idaho Division of Veterans Services and the Veterans Center to help veterans and get them retrained if possible.

Once they are ready for the job market, the Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialist works with the Local Veterans Employment Representatives to help find employment. The local employment representative works with employers to find veterans with the skills and qualifications for the particular position they are trying to fill. Local Veterans Employment Representatives don’t work directly with veterans.

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Seven Ways to Launch a New Career

These days there are lots of tools to choose from when considering a new career.

New this year, the Healthcare Virtual Career Network provides career exploration and training tools to help job seekers prepare for careers in healthcare. Job seekers can explore healthcare careers, identify education and training programs, access online courses, get credit for prior learning, and search for local healthcare jobs.

Idaho’s Career Information System (click on Guests for the free version) has added or improved several new information files including About Programs of Study, About Schools (also available in Spanish) and Financial Aid Sort. All of these pages contain Idaho-specific information and are designed to help students make wiser choices about what schools can help them reach their career goals.  Life After High School is a tool designed to help younger students learn that training beyond high school is appropriate, sensible and affordable. Workshops on how to use this system are held throughout the state each fall and are for anyone who works with or helps students or clients develop career plans. Click here to find the workshop closest to your area.

The Worker Reemployment Portal is designed to assist impacted workers following job loss and to connect them to resources for training, reemployment, career planning, financial and emotional help during the process of job transition. The site also now includes a job search by location feature.

CareerOneStop helps job seekers explore careers, investigate salary and benefit information, research education and training opportunities, plan a job search, browse job sites, write and improve resumes and cover letters, prepare for a job interview and search for jobs. The site’s new Certification Finder  houses information on thousands of certifications and allows users to search for certifications by industry, occupation, or keyword. A new feature includes icons that highlight certifications that have been recognized, endorsed, or accredited by third-party organizations.

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