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| (left to right) VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois, JSRCC President Gary Rhodes, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Bobby Scott. |
Virginia’s leaders came together on Reynolds’ Parham Road Campus recently to update each other and the community on efforts that encourage private sector employers to hire veterans. Following comments from Virginia’s Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Bobby Scott, representatives from the Armed Forces discussed the transferable skills that today’s military veterans could bring to the private sector workforce.
Noting that unemployment rates for veterans returning from war is now more than of 12 percent, Warner said that jobs in the energy field offer the most potential. Dominion representatives concluded the event with information about their Troops to Energy Jobs Initiative, a new initiative designed to accelerate the training and employability of veterans in key energy positions. According to troopstoenergyjobs.com, Troops to Energy Jobs is currently in a pilot stage, and includes selected pilot utilities that have been recognized as Top Military Employers and that work in states with a strong State Energy Workforce Consortia. Dominion Resources Services, from Dominion Virginia Power is one of those companies. The goal is to expand the program to the entire energy industry.
Virginia Community College System Chancellor Glenn DuBois and other VCCS representatives also provided remarks regarding the role community colleges could potentially play in this initiative. Military personnel explained that although the skills and experience they receive over the course of their careers often match private sector needs, they lack the civilian certifications necessary for private sector employment.
