OSHA Awards VA $3.4M for Transitioning Veterans
The agency awards the commonwealth of Virginia $3.4M in grants to develop re-employment strategies for transitioning veterans
OSHA has awarded $3,444,620 to the commonwealth of Virginia to develop re-employment strategies for transitioning veterans, according to a press release from the agency. The grant aims to help the state identify promising practices and explore, develop and test strategies to improve the employment outcomes of veterans.
The commonwealth of Virginia has been experiencing a record number of military personnel transitioning from the active military into the civilian workforce. Virginia’s Community Colleges system and the Virginia Employment Commission will use the funds to:
- design and implement a bridge between transitioning military personnel and employers who have veteran-compatible employment opportunities;
- create and validate a process to align veterans' Military Occupational Specialties across Virginia's Community Colleges system;
- develop statewide industry-sector strategies in high-growth occupations and identify and link veterans to those jobs; and
- perform a comprehensive assessment to identify gaps in services and develop recommendations to fill those gaps.
"As our brave men and women return from military duty, we have an obligation to ensure we are doing all we can to make their transition to civilian life as smooth as possible," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Portia Wu, in OSHA’s press release. "This funding will help the state develop strategies and programs so that veterans quickly find good jobs."