Problem arises for veterans job training program

UPDATE June 21, 2012
VA fixes problem with vets job training program
By Rick Maze
Staff writer
Army TImes
Posted : Wednesday Jun 20, 2012
With just 10 days before a new education benefits is launched to help unemployed veterans learn a new skill, the VA has rushed to fix a problem that could have left community colleges in 18 states and Puerto Rico ineligible for participation.

Veterans Affairs Department officials told Congress late Wednesday they were revising their eligibility criteria for community colleges to be part of the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program so that schools that offer a limited number of four-year bachelor degrees would not be left out.

Four-year colleges and universities will remain ineligible but community colleges listed by the U.S. Education Department’s National Center for Educational Statistics College Navigator as a two-year school will be covered, VA officials said in a note to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, which raised questions about eligibility on Tuesday.
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Problem arises for vets job training program
By Rick Maze
Staff writer
Army Times
Posted : Tuesday Jun 19, 2012

A problem has arisen for a veterans’ training program expected to launch July 1: Classes at community colleges in 18 states and territories will not be covered because those schools also provide bachelors’ degrees.

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, created by Congress to provide one year of training and education benefits to certain unemployed veterans to prepare them for work in high-demand fields, was to be limited to short courses that could yield big results.

However, “using VA’s narrow definition of ‘community college,’ if a school awarded one bachelor’s degree along with hundreds or even thousands of associate degrees, that school would not qualify for VRAP training,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., the second ranking Republican on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Bilirakis said some community colleges are allowed by state law to provide a small number of four-year degrees. For example, 23 of Florida’s 28 community colleges are not eligible for VRAP, the chancellor of the Florida College System has warned.

“The reason given for this denial is that each of those 23 community colleges awards a very limited number of bachelors’ degrees, most often in technical and health care fields, such as a bachelor of nursing degree,” Bilirakis said.
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This came in from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Hosts Workshops during Detroit VA for Vets Hiring Fair

WASHINGTON ( June 19, 2012) – The Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (VR and E) will host several workshops aimed at helping Veterans understand the many benefits and programs that promote Veteran employment during the VA for Vets Hiring Fair being held in Detroit June 26-28.

As part of the Veteran Open House, VA will educate Veterans on vocational rehabilitation and employment services, register them for VA’s online employment toolkit, www.VetSuccess.gov , and provide tools that help Veterans find meaningful careers, receive accommodations for disabilities at their place of employment, and start a small business.

“At VA, we know the skills and characteristics Veterans bring with them to a new career can only benefit an organization,” said Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. “Our VR and E program is committed to assisting Veterans find meaningful careers, whether in the federal government or in the private sector.”

VA is hosting three major events at Detroit’s Cobo Center June 26-29: The VA for Vets Hiring Fair, the Veterans Open House, and the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo. The events are expected to attract thousands of Veterans, business owners and federal employees, with an economic impact estimated at $11 million for the city.

More than 24,000 federal and private-sector job openings across the country will be available at the free Veteran Hiring Fair June 26-28. VA will bring together partners like the First Lady’s “Joining Forces” initiative and Hiring Our Heroes, along with private sector companies, during the fair. Not only will the fair provide Veterans an opportunity to showcase their skills to potential employers, it will also assist Veterans with resume preparation, interview techniques and career coaching to help Veteran attendees become career ready. VA hosted a similar event Jan. 18 in Washington, D.C., which attracted over 4,100 Veterans and resulted in over 2,600 on-the-spot interviews and more than 500 tentative job offers.

The Open House gives Veterans and their families the chance to find out about the wide range of financial and health-care benefits, services and resources that are available from federal, state and community agencies. Veterans can conveniently enroll in VA care, sign up for eBenefits and MyHealtheVet, and get their questions answered face to face.

The National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo is the premier government event for Veteran-owned businesses. Last year’s conference in New Orleans drew almost 5,000 attendees, and more than 6,000 participants are expected this year. VA will provide Veteran-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned businesses with a wide range of information to help them maximize opportunities in the federal workplace.

Known historically as the world’s capital for the transportation industry, the Detroit metro area is reinventing itself with six booming industries: medical research, defense, entertainment, green tech, urban farming, and aeronautics. About 330,000 Veterans are served by the city’s VA medical center, and more than 704,000 Veterans live in Michigan.

VA invites all interested persons and businesses to attend. More information about the small business conference is available at National Veterans Conference. Information and registration for the hiring fair is available at VAforVets.