NEW YORK—In response to the 56 percent increase in national unemployment rates among veterans in the past year, Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Queens) called for New York City to implement his Veterans Employment Training Sponsorship that aims to place returning veterans in jobs at city agencies.
According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistic published in March, veterans deployed since September 2001 have higher rates of unemployment then their non-veteran peers. Veterans between 18 and 24 years of age were shown to have the highest unemployment rate of 14.1 percent, which is nearly twice the average for other age groups of veterans. The national unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was reported at 11.2 percent. According to Councilman Gioia, New York City could have nearly 1,000 unemployed Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
“New York has a chance to help veterans get back on their feet quickly. We have an obligation to our brave men and women who serve selflessly overseas that when they return home they are afforded every opportunity they can to live out the American dream,” stated Councilman Gioia. “There is no reason for so many New Yorkers to be unemployed when they get home after serving our country. New York City should be welcoming for our veterans, not closing its doors to them,” he added.
The New York City Veterans Employment Training Sponsorship is proposing that city agencies dedicate a number of full-time positions for employment of veterans, and to assign a professional civilian mentor to each participant for a 12-month period. The plan aims to ease veterans’ transition to private life, while expanding their skills in the civilian workplace and preventing sustained unemployment.
The proposal is based on the success of the Los Angeles Veterans Internship Program (VIP), which assigns veterans to 12- to 24-month on the job training programs in city agencies. It has placed over 100 veterans in city jobs and fielded over 1,000 applications in one year since its implementation in 2007.
According to a survey from Military.com conducted in November, 81 percent (4,442) of surveyed soldiers reported not being fully prepared to enter the civilian workforce and 67 percent reported not being able to translate skills learned in the military setting into a civilian life. Of the surveyed employers, 64 percent felt that veterans need additional assistance to facilitate their job searches in the civilian marketplace.
Councilman Gioia also announced that he would work on creating a public-private partnership to assist with veteran job placement, modeled on the Warriors to Work program on Long Island set up by the Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.
Several ongoing programs that assist veterans with acquiring employment in New York City include Helmets to Hardhats for construction jobs, Troops to Teacher for teaching positions, Hire Vets First, and VetJobs for general employment opportunities
According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistic published in March, veterans deployed since September 2001 have higher rates of unemployment then their non-veteran peers. Veterans between 18 and 24 years of age were shown to have the highest unemployment rate of 14.1 percent, which is nearly twice the average for other age groups of veterans. The national unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was reported at 11.2 percent. According to Councilman Gioia, New York City could have nearly 1,000 unemployed Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
“New York has a chance to help veterans get back on their feet quickly. We have an obligation to our brave men and women who serve selflessly overseas that when they return home they are afforded every opportunity they can to live out the American dream,” stated Councilman Gioia. “There is no reason for so many New Yorkers to be unemployed when they get home after serving our country. New York City should be welcoming for our veterans, not closing its doors to them,” he added.
The New York City Veterans Employment Training Sponsorship is proposing that city agencies dedicate a number of full-time positions for employment of veterans, and to assign a professional civilian mentor to each participant for a 12-month period. The plan aims to ease veterans’ transition to private life, while expanding their skills in the civilian workplace and preventing sustained unemployment.
The proposal is based on the success of the Los Angeles Veterans Internship Program (VIP), which assigns veterans to 12- to 24-month on the job training programs in city agencies. It has placed over 100 veterans in city jobs and fielded over 1,000 applications in one year since its implementation in 2007.
According to a survey from Military.com conducted in November, 81 percent (4,442) of surveyed soldiers reported not being fully prepared to enter the civilian workforce and 67 percent reported not being able to translate skills learned in the military setting into a civilian life. Of the surveyed employers, 64 percent felt that veterans need additional assistance to facilitate their job searches in the civilian marketplace.
Councilman Gioia also announced that he would work on creating a public-private partnership to assist with veteran job placement, modeled on the Warriors to Work program on Long Island set up by the Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi.
Several ongoing programs that assist veterans with acquiring employment in New York City include Helmets to Hardhats for construction jobs, Troops to Teacher for teaching positions, Hire Vets First, and VetJobs for general employment opportunities
