Assessing the Local Provision of Veterans Employment Services. Jeffery Peterson James Grefer Scott T. Macdonell Zachary Miller

Transcription

1 Assessing the Local Provision of Veterans Employment Services Jeffery Peterson James Grefer Scott T. Macdonell Zachary Miller DRM-2013-U Final September 2013

2 Photo credit: Veterans and their family members attend the first "100,000 Jobs Mission Hiring Event" at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, MD. The event gave veterans and their families the opportunity to meet with employers and receive job offers as well as the chance to be hired at the event. ( N-MM BETHESDA, MD. Feb. 25, 2012) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3 rd Class Shannon Burns/Released) Approved for distribution: September 2013 Anita Hattiangadi Research Team Leader Marine Corps Manpower Team This document contains the best opinion of the authors at the time of issue. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of the Department of the Navy. Distribution limited to DOD agencies. Specific authority: N D Copies of this document can be obtained through the Defense Technical Information Center at or contact CNA Document Control and Distribution Section at Copyright 2013 CNA This work was created in the performance of Federal Government Contract Number N D Any copyright in this work is subject to the Government's Unlimited Rights license as defined in DFARS and/or DFARS The reproduction of this work for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. Nongovernmental users may copy and distribute this document in any medium, either commercially or noncommercially, provided that this copyright notice is reproduced in all copies. Nongovernmental users may not use technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further copying of the copies they make or distribute. Nongovernmental users may not accept compensation of any manner in exchange for copies. All other rights reserved.

3 Used to identify Classification level Contents Executive summary... 1 Overhauling the Transition Assistance Program... 1 Approach... 1 Findings... 2 Recommendations... 5 Conclusion... 6 Introduction... 7 Background... 7 Objectives... 8 Methodology... 8 Defining employment services Selecting employment service markets Collecting market data One Stop Career Centers One stop concept Wagner-Peyser Act and Workforce Investment Act The one stop vision of the WIA System of One Stop Career Centers Comparing baseline and One Stop Career Center services Comparison of employment services by communities Heavily populated versus less populated communities High versus low (or no) military presence communities High versus low veteran density communities Conclusions about community comparisons Beyond veterans employment services Other government veterans employment services Direct services Internal federal government hiring External federal government programs Veteran advocacy i

4 Nongovernment veterans employment services (profit and nonprofit) Career fairs Veterans service organization services Resume and career services Placement agency services Nonprofit intensive services Other nonprofit veterans employment services Online veterans employment services TAP introduction of local veterans employment services Key findings and observations The availability of veterans employment services Local cooperation to deliver veterans employment services Employment services costs incurred by veterans TAP managers and local veterans employment services Gaps and overlaps in veterans employment services Recommendations Recommended actions for policy-makers and leadership Recommended actions for TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives Conclusion Appendix A: Keywords used in veterans employment services search Appendix B: Defining veterans employment services Appendix C: Data collection protocol Appendix D: Online veterans employment services Appendix E: DOL Employment Workshop Glossary References List of tables ii

5 Executive summary Overhauling the Transition Assistance Program Approach The recent implementation of Transition Goals, Plans, and Success (Transition GPS) represents the first overhaul of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) by the Department of Defense (DOD) in about 20 years. During this overhaul, the Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI) Task Force, composed of DOD TAP managers and other interagency partners, asked CNA to explore a series of important questions about the continuum of employment services beyond TAP for nondisabled veterans age 18 to 30, including the following: 1. What is the full range of veterans employment services available at the local (community) level, and how does service availability vary by community characteristics? 2. How do governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses work together at the local level to help deliver high-quality veterans employment services? 3. What costs do veterans incur when using services in their local employment service markets? 4. Are installation TAP managers familiar with local employment resources, and what are best practices for connecting transitioning Service Members to local employment resources once they leave military service? 5. Are there gaps in employment services provided at the local level that can be mitigated? First, we identified 34 veterans employment services that employment experts consider necessary to achieve successful employment and against which we could compare available services in selected localities. We grouped these 34 services into 6 general areas: (1) selfassessment tools, (2) self-improvement tools, (3) job market research, 1

6 (4) job search preparation, (5) job search execution, and (6) additional employment avenues. Next, we recommended (and the sponsor selected) eight localities with varying overall populations, veteran populations, and military presence from which we collected veterans employment service information: (1) Washington, DC, metropolitan area; (2) San Diego, CA; (3) Tampa, FL; (4) Fort Myers, FL; (5) Pittsburgh, PA; (6) Charleston, WV; (7) Fayetteville, NC; and (8) Havelock, NC. We collected veterans employment service information in three ways: virtually, telephonically, and via site visits to local service providers. Only a small percentage of employment services are unique to veterans, so we also collected information about general employment services needed by both veterans and nonveterans. In addition, we interviewed TAP managers from military installations within each locality to learn about the local employment service information that they provide to TAP participants and the extent to which they interact with local veterans employment representatives to help transitioning Service Members. Findings The following highlights key findings associated with each of our research questions. Question 1: What is the full range of veterans employment services available at the local (community) level, and how does service availability vary by community characteristics? We found that all 34 veterans employment services are available in each of the 8 localities. There are more service provider options in urban areas, where the common and collective needs of veteran and nonveteran job-seekers create sufficient demand for a nongovernment employment services market to exist. In localities with high military presence, service providers tend to market employment services to transitioning Service Members and veterans. One Stop Career Centers funded by the Department of Labor (DOL) and run by the states are the centerpiece of the veterans employment service market. They provide compre- 2

7 hensive employment services and have veteran representatives at nearly all of their 2,800 locations. In rural localities, Center officials report that they provide 80 to 90 percent of all employment services; that drops somewhat in urban areas, where there are more service options from other market segments. These reports are consistent with what we found in our data collection and analysis. The Centers also serve an important coordination role, bringing together service providers, employers, and job-seekers in the local labor market. Other government agencies and nongovernmental businesses and organizations also provide veterans employment services. These are typically niche services or, in the case of the federal agencies, are focused on internal agency hiring needs. Nongovernmental (profit and nonprofit) services include veteran career fairs, resume and career services, job placement services, and intensive services for veterans struggling with homelessness, addiction, and indigence. There are subtle variations in service provision depending on community characteristics for both governmental and nongovernmental service providers. For example, service providers in urban areas with a substantial federal government workforce deliver more services related to federal resume preparation. Online employment services have become an important part of the employment service market. Although employment professionals stress that users must be judicious in selecting online services, they also note that there are many high-quality and convenient online services that can quickly accelerate a veteran s job search. Question 2: How do governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses work together at the local level to help deliver high-quality veterans employment services? There is a high level of local cooperation by veterans employment service providers. Governmental and nongovernmental providers routinely partner and work together to help facilitate each other s service provision. For example, career fair providers, such as Hiring Our Heroes, frequently partner with One Stop Career Centers, which help them set up their fairs and encourage participation by local employers and job-seekers. 3

8 Veterans employment service providers also leverage other related community services to complement their services. Question 3: What costs do veterans incur when using services in their local employment service markets? One Stop Career Centers provide comprehensive employment services free of charge to veterans (and all job-seekers). Alternatively, veterans can choose to purchase services, which typically include resume and cover letter services and training and education that are not otherwise paid for by the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Question 4: Are installation TAP managers familiar with local employment resources, and what are best practices for connecting transitioning Service Members to local employment resources once they leave military service? TAP managers introduce transitioning Service Members to local employment services during the DOL Employment Workshop. One Stop Career Center veteran representatives used to teach the workshop; since TAP s overhaul, however, contracted instructors do the teaching. The instructor transition has disrupted relationships between TAP teams and local veteran representatives. The strength of these relationships now varies widely across military installations. Question 5: Are there gaps in employment services provided at the local level that can be mitigated? We found no evidence of capacity constraints that were causing veterans to be turned away or were resulting in unreasonably long wait times for service. Service providers noted that, rather than turning people away, they are struggling to get veterans to take advantage of their services. An ongoing related CNA study will examine these reports to better understand why veterans may not be using available services. We also found no evidence of service gaps. We were able to locate all 34 veterans employment services in each locality, but, in rural areas, we frequently could not locate some services beyond those provided by the One Stop Career Centers. We found only nuanced situations in which there were service overlaps situations that were not indicative of any appreciable level of inefficiency. 4

9 Recommendations Policy-makers and leaders should emphasize the following messages: One Stop Career Centers are the centerpiece for high-quality veterans employment services in local communities. One Stop Career Center veteran representatives are veterans who understand the unique challenges of transitioning from military to civilian life. TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives should form strong working relationships to help facilitate a warm handoff for transitioning Service Members to their veteran status. This message should be complemented with clarification that TAP managers have the latitude and are encouraged to feature local veteran representatives during Transition GPS. Local service providers should register their services on the National Resource Directory (NRD), a website with the stated purpose of providing information and resources for Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, Their Families and Caregivers. DOD TAP managers should encourage organizations that provide locality favorability ratings for veterans transition (e.g., Sperling s Best Places) to include veterans employment services in their rating criteria. Local service providers should be commended for their strong partnering and community cooperation efforts. In addition, we recommend that DOD-level TAP managers assess the costs and benefits of developing a formal system for veterans to provide feedback on their transition experiences. In addition, we recommend continuation of the current interagency effort to provide a single web portal for all federal government veterans employment services. We recommend the following actions by local TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives: 5

10 Maintain an active working relationship that forms the core of local military-civilian cooperation to provide high-quality veterans employment services. Encourage transitioning Service Members to visit their local veteran representatives upon relocation to their new communities. This encouragement should be tied to the need for transitioning Service Members to update the career readiness assessment they completed during Transition GPS. Develop and maintain an up-to-date best of breed online veterans employment services list to assist transitioning Service Members. This should include encouragement to not pay for online services before contacting a veteran representative, who may be able to provide the same service at no cost. Continue to foster an atmosphere of community cooperation among local service providers. Conclusion TAP managers said that the new Transition GPS represents a significant improvement in the DOD TAP. The findings and recommendations in this study can further improve transition outcomes by building a stronger bridge between services provided before transition and those available after transition to veterans. 6

11 Introduction Background The Department of Defense (DOD) and its interagency partners convened the Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI) Task Force to overhaul the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in response to the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 [1]. The new TAP curriculum, entitled Transition Goals, Plans, and Success (Transition GPS), has four basic components to help transitioning Service Members meet career readiness standards. They include (1) pre-separation counseling, (2) a core curriculum, 1 (3) additional transition tracks for those choosing higher education, technical training, or entrepreneurship, and (4) a capstone event to ensure that transitioning Service Members have met career readiness standards and have a viable plan to achieve their goals. 2 In addition to improving and extending the TAP through the design and implementation of Transition GPS, DOD is interested in understanding the prevalence and completeness of veterans employment service markets in the communities in which veterans ultimately will reside. [2] Our study focuses on offbase veterans employment services provided by governmental and nongovernmental organizations in selected localities. We limit our focus on the TAP to assessing the extent to which installation TAP managers (1) interact with local service providers and (2) provide TAP participants with local veterans employment service information. 1. The Transition GPS core curriculum includes the following elements: (1) overview of the transition process, (2) resiliency, (3) financial planning, (4) military occupational code crosswalk, (5) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, (6) Department of Labor (DOL) Employment Workshop, and (7) individual transition plan review [2]. 2. Throughout this report, we use TAP to refer generally to DOD s transition assistance program and Transition GPS when referring specifically to the recently overhauled and implemented TAP curriculum. 7

12 In this study, we concentrate on the provision of services to veterans in local communities. Our focus is not on government programs that fund employment services but rather on the actual employment services that these programs provide to individual veterans. Objectives Our study seeks to answer the question, What is the full range of veterans employment services available at the local (community) level, and how does service availability vary by community characteristics? Additional analytical questions include: How do governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses work together at the local level to help deliver high-quality veterans employment services? What costs do veterans incur when using services in their local employment service markets? Are installation TAP managers familiar with the nature and availability of local employment resources, and what are best practices for connecting transitioning Service Members to local employment resources once they leave military service? Are there gaps in employment services provided at the local level that can be mitigated? We will address each of these analytical questions in turn. Methodology Our focus is on employment services provided to 18- to 30-year-old nondisabled veterans. 3 These are younger veterans who are not eligible for retirement, are transitioning from military service, and are not eligible for special programs designed for disabled veterans. We first review the current veterans employment service literature to define employment services and select eight specific localities that are differentiated by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) population, 3. This scope was defined by the study sponsor. 8

13 veteran population, and military presence. Then we collect veterans employment service information from each locality. Next we analyze how the veterans employment services offered by governmental and nongovernmental organizations differ in each locality. We also analyze the role of online services. We then turn our attention to TAP managers and the local veterans employment information they provide to TAP participants. We also assess how TAP managers interact with local veteran employment representatives to prepare transitioning Service Members for employment success. We conclude our analysis with a summary of key findings and observations, followed by recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which employment services are provided to veterans. 9

14 10 This page intentionally left blank

15 Defining employment services The veterans employment service market and the general employment service market are not mutually exclusive. The nuances of a veteran s job search are usually variations of a nonveteran s job search particularly for nondisabled veterans. For example, many veterans need help translating military skills to civilian skills. To define the breadth of veterans employment services against which to evaluate local service offerings, we reviewed the DOL Employment Workshop curriculum, which starts with self-assessments before separation and extends through pay and benefit negotiation following a job offer. We also reviewed the Transition GPS documentation. We supplemented this information with an open web search using keywords (see appendix A) and job-hunting books two that are prominent in the veterans employment literature [3, 4] and one that is prominent in the broader job-hunting literature [5]. The open source search and employment guidebooks largely confirmed the data in the workshop curriculum. The employment service market is large and evolving particularly with regard to how online resources complement or replace more traditional services but we found little variation in the range of activities and services deemed necessary for a successful job search, whether for a veteran or a nonveteran. In defining the general categories of services, we were mindful of the study s focus on 18- to 30-year-old nondisabled veterans. We did not study employment services geared toward older veterans, executives, or disabled workers We identified many employment services for disabled veterans but did not collect market information because of the study s scope. The exception was vocational rehabilitative services. Many veterans do not receive a disability rating through the VA for up to a year after separation. We collected data on vocational rehab services to try to understand whether service providers were able to offer these services to veterans with apparent disabilities whom the VA had yet to officially rate as disabled. 11

16 We categorized 34 veterans employment services into 6 areas: 1. Self-assessment tools 2. Self-improvement tools 3. Job market research 4. Job search preparation 5. Job search execution 6. Additional employment avenues Appendix B lists these general categories and the individual services within each. In what follows, we will check for the availability of these services across different types of localities. Note that these general categories and services are for descriptive purposes. They are not mutually exclusive, nor do they suggest a prescriptive sequence of actions. In addition, not all services within a given category are equally important. 12

17 Selecting employment service markets The study sponsor deliberately chose a case analysis approach for the study so that we could take an in-depth look at services in eight different localities whose community characteristics varied in important ways. We used the following criteria to choose localities: (1) population size/density, (2) veteran population, (3) military presence, and (4) cost of data collection. Population size/density serves as a proxy for many market characteristics. Our hypothesis is that larger markets have a wider variety and greater volume of employment services, which will necessarily result in more niche services for unique job-seekers, such as veterans. Using U.S. Census Bureau data, we defined large population localities as having a population of more than 1 million and a population density of more than 240 people per square mile. We defined areas with lower populations or population densities as medium and small. Because we are concerned with veterans employment, we used veteran population counts from the American Community Survey to differentiate the distribution of veterans across various localities. We considered a locality to have a high veteran population density if at least 10 percent of the MSA s population is veterans. Those localities with less than 10 percent were considered to have a low veteran population density. The presence of military installations in a locality has traditionally resulted in market niches that focus specifically on Service Members and veterans. We, therefore, hypothesize that greater military installation presence in a locality will result in a greater emphasis on providing veteran-focused employment services. To differentiate localities by military presence, we used an online atlas [6]. We considered localities to have high military presence if they have more than 20,000 military personnel or if military personnel constitute more than 25 percent of the population of the city colocated with the military installation. In addition to including localities with high and low military presence, we included localities with no active-duty military presence to better understand the employment services available in 13

18 these localities. 5 Using these criteria, we categorized half of our localities as having high military presence and half as having low or no military presence. Finally, we ensured that all four services (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps) were represented in the locality selections. 6 We did this to gain insight into how the services TAP managers differ in the extent to which they (1) introduce TAP participants to local services and resources and (2) interact with local veteran employment representatives. We used the cost of data collection as our final criterion. Because our study team was located in the east, we selected mostly localities in the east and, when possible, pairs of localities that allowed us to minimize travel costs. We did not use these criteria to eliminate any potential localities. Rather, we used them to create a market segmentation that ensured that the study sponsor could select eight localities with sufficiently varying characteristics to allow us to make some informed generalizations about other localities with similar characteristics. The study sponsor, in consultation with the VEI Task Force, applied these criteria to select the eight localities listed in table 1. Table 2 provides additional labor market information for the selected localities. This information points to additional variation in community characteristics across our localities. The National Capital Region (NCR) and San Diego have notably higher median income levels. The NCR, San Diego, and Pittsburgh have higher percentages of those age 25 to 64 with college degrees. In addition, the overall unemployment rate is higher than the veteran unemployment rate in all localities except Pittsburgh and Charleston. 5. We do not consider local military reserve and National Guard installations for the purpose of characterizing military presence. 6. At the sponsor s request, we did not collect information from installation TAP managers in selected localities if they were part of the pilot for Transition GPS. 14

19 Table 1. Localities selected for employment service case studies Locality State Metropolitan Statistical Area National Capital Region DC, MD, VA Population/ density Veteran population density Military presence a VA/MD/DC Large Low b High San Diego CA San Diego, CA Large Low b High Tampa Bay FL Tampa St. Petersburg, FL Large High Low Pittsburgh PA Pittsburgh, PA Large Low b None Fayetteville NC Fayetteville, NC Medium High High Charleston WV Charleston, WV Medium High None Fort Myers FL Cape Coral Fort Myers, FL Medium High None Havelock NC New Bern, NC Small High High a. NCR, San Diego, and Fayetteville all have more than 20,000 military personnel. The city of Havelock has 8,800 military personnel which represents nearly 32 percent of its population. b. Although the NCR, San Diego, and Pittsburgh all have large veteran populations, their densities are still less than 10 percent of their respective MSA s population. Table 2. Locality labor market characteristics Locality State Metropolitan Statistical Area National Capital Region DC, MD, VA Median household income Percentage of those with college degrees Unemployment rate Veteran unemployment rate VA/MD/DC $87, % 7.4% 4.4% San Diego CA San Diego, CA $61, % 10.6% 9.2% Tampa FL Tampa-St. Petersburg, $45, % 12.3% 12.1% FL Pittsburgh PA Pittsburgh, PA $48, % 8.3% 9.6% Fayetteville NC Fayetteville, NC $44, % 13.7% 10.8% Charleston WV Charleston, WV $43, % 7.6% 11.3% Fort Myers FL Cape Coral-Fort Myers, $46, % 15.1% 14.1% FL Havelock NC New Bern, NC $44, % 13.8% 9.9% Source: The 2011 American Community Survey. 15

20 16 This page intentionally left blank

21 Collecting market data Our data collection approach is best described as a phased all source collection effort. First, we conducted an extensive virtual open source search for each locality to identify service providers and the types of services they offer. 7 Then, we conducted telephonic interviews with these providers to better understand their services and to ask them other questions about the nature of the veterans employment services market in their locality. Finally, we conducted faceto-face interviews with the more prominent service providers in each locality. We guided our telephonic and face-to-face interviews with the data collection protocol in appendix C. At the federal level, we engaged agency task force participants and veterans employment representatives in various federal departments and agencies. Veteran hiring has been a high-profile endeavor, particularly as it relates to veterans who participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. As such, news media outlets actively report on how federal programs are assisting veterans throughout localities and, in that regard, are helpful sources of veterans employment service information. At the state level, we focused primarily on the One Stop Career Centers that, while sponsored by DOL, are run by the state employment commissions. As noted in appendix C, this is because we found that they provide the bulk of employment services in each locality. Nationwide, there are nearly 2,800 One Stop Career Centers, most of which have a veterans employment representative assigned to help veterans overcome employment barriers, locate resources, and find jobs. 7. We used the keywords in appendix A to conduct these open source searches. Our ability to discover local services was dependent on the extent to which (1) service providers advertised their services in searchable media and (2) other service providers mentioned services that were not listed in searchable media. 17

22 The One Stop Career Center system s website has extensive employment-related information and lists services available at each Comprehensive and Affiliate Center. 8 This information and the results of our interviews with One Stop Career Center veteran representatives were particularly helpful as they provided extensive information about other local services and resources. This is because One Stop Career Centers tend to serve as a hub for many local hiring activities, especially those focused on veterans. State and local websites and directories highlight information and programs for veterans. These resources allowed us to better understand how local governments are contributing to the supply of veterans employment services. Yellow Page listings and websites were the primary sources of information for nongovernmental (profit and nonprofit) employment services. To the extent possible, we focused on services that were physically located in each of the localities. However, extensive employment services also are available online and can be accessed by veterans regardless of their geographic locations. We collected information on these online services as well. We collected information on career fairs, resume and career service businesses, placement agencies, and nonprofit intensive service organizations. 9 We also searched for services provided by veterans service organizations (e.g., The American Legion) but found that, with only a few exceptions, these organizations tend to be promoters of various veterans employment services but do not directly provide these services. Finally, we wanted to understand grass roots efforts veterans helping veterans because our early explorations revealed that this also is an important, if unstructured, part of the veterans employment service market. 8. Comprehensive One Stop Career Centers provide services associated with all Workforce Integration Act programs (which will be described in more detail in a later section), whereas Affiliate Centers do not. (See org.) 9. Intensive service organizations typically are focused on the veteran employment needs for those with substance abuse, homelessness, or other indigence challenges. 18

23 Colleges, universities, and other related training and educational institutions in each of our selected localities advertise to veterans and encourage them to enhance their skills through courses and programs at their institutions during and after their military service. Though identifying all of these institutions is beyond the scope of this study, we have attempted to characterize how veteran representatives (particularly those at the One Stop Career Centers) interact with and refer veterans to these institutions to improve their employability. However, in the nongovernmental service (profit and nonprofit) section of this report, we will highlight one particular training program that helps veterans in the NCR. Finally, we collected information from TAP managers to better understand the extent to which they introduce TAP participants to local veterans employment service information and interact with other local veterans employment service professionals. 19

24 20 This page intentionally left blank

25 One Stop Career Centers One stop concept The centerpiece of veterans employment services in all the localities we visited is the system of One Stop Career Centers. These are funded by the DOL, administered by state-level Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs), and operated by local communities. In what follows, we describe how the concept of the one stop was born from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 and which services these Centers provide to local job-seekers, employers, and veterans. Wagner-Peyser Act and Workforce Investment Act The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 established the U.S. Employment Service within the DOL [7]. The key objectives of the Employment Service are to (1) coordinate state-level employment services, (2) promote uniformity and efficiency, and (3) provide public information about employment services and job opportunities. 10 [8] The WIA of 1998 (Public Law ) amended the Wagner-Peyser Act by creating a national program designed to bring job-seekers and employers together [9]. The act introduced the one stop concept by developing and implementing a customer-focused one stop system of employment services to be aligned with the federal unemployment insurance program. The one stop vision of the WIA is to provide communities with all of the employment services that their job market participants (jobseekers, employers, youth, and veterans) need [9, 10]. The act outlined the populations (e.g., veterans) to be targeted for employment services, and the services to be provided to these populations. The act stipulated the funding that would be provided to state governments 10. Later, the Employment Service began to assist and fund states in the administration of unemployment insurance plans under the Social Security Act of 1935 [8]. 21

26 and other organizations to implement the vision, and it set standards of success, ways to measure success, reporting requirements, and accountability levels. The one stop concept envisions federal, state, and local governments as important conduits through which job-seekers and employers find one another in the local labor market. The one stop concept gave birth to neighborhood One Stop Career Centers, where customers (both veteran and nonveteran job-seekers and employers) can access employment insurance, labor market information, employment/skill assessment services, and direct referrals to job training and job opportunities within their communities. The one stop vision of the WIA Five key characteristics define WIA s overarching objectives for the One Stop Career Centers [10]: 1. Training and employment programs are designed and managed in local communities in what are called workforce investment areas. 2. A full range of employment services for all job market participants exists at a single, easily accessed location. 3. Training and employment services are sufficiently comprehensive to allow customers to control their own careers. 4. Information about the success of the training programs is consistently compiled and made available to customers. 5. Businesses play an active role in ensuring that the program succeeds in preparing people for careers. Figure 1 illustrates the comprehensive market for services envisioned by the one stop concept. Here, youth, veterans, and other civilian workers make up the labor supply. The services they need, which may or may not exist in a market without government subsidies, are those that help them to assess their skills relative to the labor market, convey those skills to the labor market, and find employers who need those skills. In addition, veterans could need additional counseling on how to transfer their military skills to the labor market, how to anticipate market responses to their veteran status, and how to convey information about special military-developed skills. 22

27 Figure 1. The one stop concept for connecting workers and employers in the job market Employers create the labor market demand for workers. They need services that provide them with information on the local labor market, how to convey their hiring needs to that market, and how to meet job-seekers with the skills that they need. In addition, they want information on how veterans respond to the labor market and on federal government programs that incentivize veteran hiring. The network of comprehensive One Stop Career Centers evolved from this one stop vision. Funding for the Centers training and employment services comes primarily from DOL noncompetitive grants to the states [10]. In addition, DOL coordinates its comprehensive employment program with the VA s Veterans Employment Program. To comply with WIA mandates and qualify for funding under the DOL s noncompetitive grant program, each state is required to submit a five-year plan for WIA implementation. Each plan must 1. detail its state s economy, including population demographics, descriptions of the state s industrial and service sectors, employment and economic conditions, and forecasts of future economic activity that will influence employment; 23

28 2. describe a state-level WIB that will help its governor develop five-year WIA implementation plans and local boards that will plan and administer the local system of One Stop Career Centers and develop local labor market information systems; and 3. outline a roadmap for using funds and guidance provided by DOL and VA, and outline how governmental and nongovernmental organizations will collaborate to deliver employment services and establish the system of One Stop Career Centers. System of One Stop Career Centers We find that the One Stop Career Centers meet all three of the key objectives set out by the Wagner-Peyser Act and the WIA. Recall that these include (1) coordination of services throughout the system, (2) uniformity in design and efficiency in service provision, and (3) provision of public information about job markets and employment services at the community level. First, the Centers are organizationally consistent across localities we examined, and the 34 baseline employment services that they provide are similar with only minor differences due to variations in the types of markets they serve. Variations include whether (1) the job markets are large and complex, (2) there are a large number of federal jobs, or (3) the market s cost of living places a greater number of veterans in financial difficulty. More important to veterans, all of the comprehensive One Stop Career Centers have a veteran representative on site, whose phone number and direct address are on the Center s website. Second, comprehensive One Stop Career Centers are relatively efficiently distributed by population density in most of our eight markets. Specifically, the number of One Stop Career Centers in a given market ranges from about 300,000 people per Center, as in Charleston and Fort Myers, to about 600,000 per Center in San Diego and Tampa. The exception to this is Havelock, NC (population 130,000), which has no Centers directly within the community but is served by two Centers in nearby cities. 24

29 Third, in keeping with the one stop vision, the One Stop Career Centers are placed within geographic political boundaries cities and counties to serve the communities in which they reside. For example, the WorkForce Brandon Center is located in Brandon, FL, and is part of the Florida network of One Stop Career Centers that are collectively called WorkForce Florida, Inc. Table 3 shows the relationship between populations and numbers of Centers for each of our localities. Table 3. One Stop Career Centers in our eight localities Locality (MSA) State Population (thousands) Number of Total Veteran Centers Population per Center (thousands) Veterans per Center (thousands) DC/VA/MD Tri-state 5, San Diego CA 3, Tampa FL 2, Fort Myers FL Pittsburgh PA 2, Charleston WV Fayetteville NC Havelock NC Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census and CNA tabulations. Comparing baseline and One Stop Career Center services As part of our data collection, we examined the information that is listed for each One Stop Career Center in our localities on the One Stop Career Center website. We then visited most of those Centers and interviewed their veteran representatives. Not all of the services they provide are listed on their webpages. In our interviews, we found that they actually provide all 34 of the services in our baseline list, either directly, indirectly, or by referring veterans to other community resources. By direct provision, we mean that the Center provides workshops or classes, has computer resources (including internet access), or provides individual coaching and direction. All Centers, for example, provide workshops on job search techniques, resume writing, and in- 25

30 terviewing. They provide individual coaching on career goals, job search planning, financial assessment, understanding the job market, and networking. In addition, all Centers have computer resources, job boards, and internet access. By indirect provision, we mean that the Center gives veterans information on physical and online resources provided by other governmental and nongovernmental organizations. For example, the O-Net website [11] has a programming tool that translates military occupations to civilian jobs. Most state government websites have website tools that facilitate personal self-assessment of career goals, occupational skills, and job search plans. These websites also contain information about local labor markets, pay and benefits available by occupation, and job opportunities with state and local governments. By referrals, we mean that Center representatives connect veterans with specific agencies for specialized professional needs. For example, Centers may refer veterans who need additional schooling to a local high school equivalency (HSE) degree program or community college, may refer a veteran who is on the verge of bankruptcy to a professional financial counselor, or may refer a disabled veteran or one with a drug problem to the VA for rehabilitation. In table 4, we compare the 34 separate baseline employment services (appendix B) with the services that One Stop Career Center webpages indicate that they provide directly and with the services that veteran representatives report that the Centers actually provide (either directly, indirectly, or by referral). To assist in our interviews with veteran representatives at each One Stop Career Center, we recorded their assessment of veterans need for each service using a Likert scale with scores ranging from 1 to 5, where 1 indicates that a service is very infrequently provided and 5 indicates that a service is very frequently provided. Appendix C provides additional discussion of our use of these Likert scales. In table 4, we include median scores from all One Stop Career Centers we visited. 26

31 Table 4. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to job-seekers One Stop Career Center services Baseline services from literature review Advertised Provided Median provision score a SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOLS 1. Developing life goals and career interests Assessing career interests Individual coaching; in-house tools (in computer centers) for career planning Inventory of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) Assessing your reading and math skills Introduce state-level KSA assessment tools, such as California Job or PA Job Gateway, available in One Stop Career Center computer centers Emotional readiness for transition Getting help in coping with the stress of job loss Observe indicators of emotional issues (often due to anger and disappointment). If serious, refer to VA rehab and professional counseling; if not, refer to individual coaching Personal financial assessment Getting help coping financially with job loss Provide in-house financial planning tools and workshops; provide trusted weblinks to outside financial counseling services; informal coaching about financial assessment and expectations; if homeless and/or bankrupt, refer to other agencies. 3.0 SELF-IMPROVEMENT TOOLS 5. Vocational rehabilitation programs Receiving training in new job skills Look for signs of disability; if vet appears disabled, refer to VA and/or state-level vocational rehab agencies Closing KSA and other human capital gaps Improving your current job skills Refer to state-level credentialing agencies, partner with and refer to local community colleges and technical schools, and refer to state- and local-level HSE programs Improving writing and math skills Improving your reading, writing, and math skills In-house/computer resources for coaching in writing resumes and cover letters and in remedial math

32 Table 4. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to job-seekers One Stop Career Center services Baseline services from literature review 8. Improving English skills Advertised Provided Median provision score a Improving English skills In-house/computer resources for coaching in remedial English; refer to local community English as a Second Language (ESL) courses Other programs/ resources for skill enhancement Getting information about education and training schools Refer to federally subsidized on-the-jobtraining (OJT) program and local apprenticeship programs available to veterans Converting military training/ skills into civilian credentials Not listed O*NET Online and other trusted online web tools that translate military occupational specialties (MOSs) and ratings to civilian jobs; in-house coaching to match other military experiences to skills that employers want Leveraging military benefits to attain skill/education Not listed Refer to the federally subsidized OJT program and local apprenticeship programs available to veterans; refer to VA for GI Bill advice. 5.0 JOB MARKET RESEARCH 12. Locating resources for career and employment research State- and communitylevel tools for occupation and job market research In-house computer resources with web access; in-house job boards; refer to stateand local-level web research resources Career field and employment opportunities and trends Learning about jobs and careers suitable for you Individual coaching based on veteran representative interaction with local employers; in-house computer resources and job boards; state-level labor market information websites Understanding civilian pay and benefits models Not listed Individual coaching; refer to state- and local-level online information sites, such as ONET

33 Table 4. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to job-seekers One Stop Career Center services Baseline services from literature review 15. Job search techniques, processes, and forums Advertised Provided Median provision score a Learning about strategies for finding a job In-house workshops and coaching; refer to online information sites Developing knowledge of target companies and organizations Getting information about employers in your local area and finding out about job openings Partnerships between veteran representatives and local employers; up-to-date inhouse and online job boards; coaching Understanding employer expectations Learning what employers expect of workers Individual coaching; job-readiness and interviewing workshops. 4.0 JOB SEARCH PREPARATION 18. Setting job search timeline, planning, and expectations Not listed Individual coaching; goal-setting and planning workshops; align job-seeker and employer timelines; timed follow-up with veterans Marketing one s self Not listed Individual coaching; topic is part of resume-writing and interviewing workshops Understanding employment restrictions Not listed Information is often included in government employment workshops in localities with many government employers and contractors Preparing resumes and cover letters Getting help preparing your resume Resume-writing workshops; individual coaching; refer to online resume-writing tools Understanding communications etiquette Not listed Topic is part of resume-writing and interviewing workshops; individual coaching

34 Table 4. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to job-seekers One Stop Career Center services Baseline services from literature review 23. Dressing and grooming for success Advertised Provided Median provision score a Not listed Topic is part of resume-writing workshops; individual coaching; sometimes refer to agencies that provide appropriate clothing for those who have financial challenges Developing interviewing skills Getting help preparing for job interviews Interviewing workshops; interviewing practice rooms; individual coaching and practice Developing portfolios Not listed Individual coaching for the few who need this Dealing with detractors in one s history Not listed Communicating gaps in work history and job-hopping is included in resume-writing and interviewing workshops; for serious detractors, refer to federal bonding agencies; refer to employers who are willing to employ veterans with serious detractors; refer to veterans organizations that can assist with correcting service records Interacting with recently transitioned veterans Sharing jobsearch strategies with other job-seekers (job club) Refer to veterans organizations/centers and college veterans groups; informally arrange meetings with veterans who have recently visited One Stop Career Centers. 4.0 JOB SEARCH EXECUTION 28. Engaging forums and other job-search mechanisms Posting your resume In-house and online job boards; Center participation in career fairs and employer panels Completing job applications Not listed Job application workshops; individual coaching; part of job-search workshops is to provide application reviews

35 Table 4. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to job-seekers One Stop Career Center services Baseline services from literature review 30. Networking with industry people, colleagues, and friends Advertised Provided Median provision score a Not listed Referrals to veterans centers and industry groups; individual coaching and workshops on social networking tools; refer to online networking sites (LinkedIn.com) Negotiating compensation and benefits Not listed This topic is part of job-search workshops; individual coaching on value of skills and expectations. 2.0 ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT AVENUES 32. Federal employment Not listed Federal application workshops with staff certified to train; refer to USAJobs.gov Self-employment and entrepreneurial opportunities Learning how to start your own business Refer to Small Business Administration (SBA) and local entrepreneur and economic development agencies for small business counseling Placement agencies Not listed One Stop Career Centers consider themselves as placement agencies by partnering with local employers and connecting with job-seekers; refer certain professionals to private placement agencies. 4.0 a. Not all median scores are integers because some veteran representatives offered noninteger responses. Comparison of employment services by communities One reason we chose to inventory the services provided at eight different localities was to analyze whether and why any systematic differences exist in the services that veterans demand and Centers provide. As discussed, we chose localities based on (1) population and population density, (2) veteran population, and (3) military presence. In choosing localities, our initial focus was on MSAs because we wanted a broad range of market types. Our analysis of One Stop Career Centers, however, revealed that not all communities within MSAs are 31

36 alike. Some, such as the Tampa Bay area, have both heavily populated communities (the city of Tampa) and less populated communities (the city of Newport); in many cases, both were served by one or more Centers. To capture these differences, we segmented MSAs by the communities in which the Centers are located. Using data from each Center, and county-level demographic data from the U.S. Census, we analyzed differences in the demand for employment services by the characteristics of the communities served by the Centers. Although One Stop Career Centers are defined by having a comprehensive and uniform set of employment services, we expect that veterans need some services more than others and that the mix of services that they need could vary systematically by characteristics of the community around the Center. As a result, specific employment services that address unique community characteristics would be in greater demand. So, for example, we might expect that in high-population communities, the job markets could be more complex, with wider ranges of occupations and higher costs of living. We might expect greater demand for services that help veterans to navigate complex markets and that help them to obtain higher wages. Communities with greater military presence would have more jobs with the DOD or defense contractors, and therefore services that help veterans get these jobs would be in greater demand. Finally, in communities with greater veteran populations, we would expect that services that address the unique or idiosyncratic issues of veterans would be in higher demand. This is especially true to the extent that high veteran populations foster greater interactions between veterans and veteran representatives or among veterans themselves to raise awareness of veterans issues. We use Likert scores to show differences by community characteristics in the provision of specific services by One Stop Career Centers. In this section, we will examine these differences and uncover the extent to which they confirm our speculations about why they exist. This is not a rigorous statistical analysis. We observed 8 localities and about 17 communities within them. We chose them by only 3 criteria, rather than the myriad of characteristics that are possible in any labor 32

37 market. With this small sample, it is impossible to find correlations that would allow us to confirm relationships with a high level of certainty. In addition, the data result from interviews with veteran representatives at One Stop Career Centers, and their perceptions about the services that veterans request or need. Also, the statistic we use is a simple median of the scores, by community, comparing only one criterion at a time. As a result, our findings are suggestive rather than definitive, and our explanations are speculative rather than scientific. Nonetheless, we observed interesting differences between communities that appear to confirm our conjectures about differences in the need for specific services. Here, we share our observations and our interpretations about why differences might exist. Heavily populated versus less populated communities We visited 11 heavily populated communities in 4 of our localities: 3 in the NCR, 2 in San Diego, 2 in Tampa, and 4 in Pittsburgh. We visited 6 less populated communities in 4 of our localities: 1 in Fort Myers, 2 in Charleston, 1 in Fayetteville, and 2 in Havelock. In addition, we visited the small community of Newport in the Tampa area. We categorized the One Stop Career Center in Newport, FL, as a less populated area because, although it is part of the greater Tampa Bay area, it is located in a distant and more rural part of the MSA. In table 5, we examine differences between the median scores for heavily populated and less populated communities. We highlight those services (in bold) for which the median score difference is greater than a full point The choice of greater than a point is somewhat arbitrary, but we think the magnitude is large enough to reveal some interesting differences. 33

38 Table 5. Comparing service provision in heavily and less populated communities Median, Employment service heavily populated Self-assessment tools Median, less populated Difference in medians a 1. Developing goals and career interests Inventorying KSAs Emotional readiness for transition Personal financial assessment Self-improvement tools 5. Vocational rehabilitation programs Closing KSAs and other human capital gaps Improving writing and math skills Improving English skills Other programs/resources for skill enhancement Converting military to civilian skills Leveraging military benefits Job market research 12. Locating resources for employment research Career field/employment opportunities/trends Understanding civilian pay and benefits Job search techniques, processes, etc Developing knowledge of companies Understanding employer expectations Job search preparation 18. Job search timeline/planning/expectations Marketing one's self Understanding employment restrictions Preparing resumes/cover letters Understanding communications etiquette Dressing and grooming for success Developing interviewing skills Developing portfolios Dealing with detractors in one's history Interacting with recently-transitioned veterans

39 Table 5. Comparing service provision in heavily and less populated communities Median, Employment service heavily populated Job search execution Median, less populated Difference in medians a 28. Engaging forums and job-search mechanisms Completing job application Networking Negotiating compensation and benefits Additional employment avenues 32. Federal employment Self-employment/entrepreneurial opportunities Placement agencies a. Not all median scores are integers because some veteran representatives offered noninteger responses. We offer five possible explanations for why the employment services provided to veterans could differ in heavily populated and less populated communities. 1. Heavily populated communities typically have more complex and diverse labor markets. In addition, the cost of living in these communities is higher. As a result, veterans require more (and more varied) job search resources. We see in table 5, for example, that the difference in medians in heavily populated communities is largest in personal financial assessment and negotiating compensation and benefits. 2. There are also many employment resources available to jobseekers and, because of competition among service providers in job markets, these other services could be highly marketed, and thus more easily found in heavily populated communities. This might explain why veterans have less demand for other programs and services in heavily populated communities. 3. The size and density of the veteran population could affect veterans ability to network with other recently transitioned veterans. In table 5, we see that the median score for interacting with recently transitioned veterans is 2.5 points higher in heavily populated communities. The number of recently tran- 35

40 sitioned veterans in a community can make networking more valuable for finding work. This is consistent with what veteran representatives in less populated communities reported: when the population of newly separated young veterans is small, networking with veterans is less valuable. In addition, the size of a community can make finding recently transitioned veterans more difficult, resulting in the need for additional help. 4. Negotiating compensation and benefits in a heavily populated community could be a more valuable skill because of the range of job types and the competition among employers and job-seekers. In less populated communities, veteran representatives reported that the range of occupations was narrow, and the number of job openings was small, reducing the ability to negotiate salaries. As one veteran representative from a less populated community noted, the wage is the wage. 5. Finally, there are more opportunities for federal employment in more heavily populated areas than in less populated areas. This is reflected by a higher federal employment score. High versus low (or no) military presence communities We define a community as having high military presence if there are at least 20,000 active-duty military in the locality or if the military population is greater than 25 percent of the population of the community that is colocated with the military installation. Eight communities in the NCR, San Diego, Fayetteville, and Havelock have a high military presence. Nine communities in Tampa, Pittsburgh, Charleston, and Fort Myers have little or no military presence. In table 6, we show the differences in median scores for veterans employment services in communities with high military presence and those with little or no military presence. As before, we highlight those services (in bold) for which the difference in median scores is greater than a full point. There is a higher veteran demand in communities with high military presence for two services in the self-assessment tools category: emotional readiness and personal financial readiness. We also see higher demand for two services in the job search execution category: completing the job application and negotiating compensation and bene- 36

41 fits. We surmise that veterans in communities with high military presence are looking for employment with DOD and defense contractors. Self-assessment and emotional readiness could be crucial for obtaining these highly competitive jobs. In addition, the need for assistance with completing job applications and negotiating compensation could be higher in high military presence communities because of stiff competition for defense jobs and the complexity of the application process. Table 6. Comparing service provision in high and low (or no) military presence communities Employment service Median, high military presence Self-assessment tools Median, low/no military presence Difference in medians a 1. Developing goals and career interests Inventorying KSAs Emotional readiness for transition Personal financial assessment Self-improvement tools 5. Vocational rehabilitation programs Closing KSAs and other human capital gaps Improving writing and math skills Improving English skills Other programs/resources for skill enhancement Converting military to civilian skills Leveraging military benefits Job market research 12. Locating resources for employment research Career field/employment opportunities/trends Understanding civilian pay and benefits Job search techniques, processes, etc Developing knowledge of companies Understanding employer expectations Job search preparation 37

42 Table 6. Comparing service provision in high and low (or no) military presence communities Employment service Median, high military presence Median, low/no military presence Difference in medians a 18. Job search timeline/planning/expectations Marketing one's self Understanding employment restrictions Preparing resumes/cover letters Understanding communications etiquette Dressing and grooming for success Developing interviewing skills Developing portfolios Dealing with detractors in one's history Interacting with recently-transitioned veterans Job search execution 28. Engaging forums and job-search mechanisms Completing job application Networking Negotiating compensation and benefits Additional employment avenues 32. Federal employment Self-employment/entrepreneurial opportunities Placement agencies a. Not all median scores are integers because some veteran representatives offered noninteger responses. High versus low veteran density communities If the combined veteran population of the communities we visited within a locality is greater than 10 percent of the total population, we consider those communities to have high veteran density. There are eight such high-density communities in Havelock, Fayetteville, Tampa, and San Diego. There are nine low-density communities in Charleston, Fort Myers, Pittsburgh, and the NCR. There are two notable differences when comparing communities by veteran density rather than population size or military presence. First, 38

43 high population and high military presence change the types of jobs available in the market. For example, big cities have a broader range of occupations than small cities, and areas around military bases have more defense jobs. High veteran density, however, does not affect the jobs; it affects only the relationship between veterans and the employment services market. Second, it is not immediately clear how or why veterans need for employment services would differ between communities, or why veterans characteristics would differ because of high veteran densities. After all, employment services are provided to veterans by veteran representatives. We speculate that high densities of veterans could result in a larger number of interactions among veterans both formal, in the form of groups and veteran organizations, and informal through friendships and acquaintances. To the extent that this is true, we might expect veterans issues to be more highly communicated and, thus, veteran-specific employment services would be more highly requested. As table 7 shows, many of the employment services that are more highly demanded in veteran-dense communities appear to be idiosyncratic to veterans. These high-demand services are emotional readiness, personal financial assessment, vocational rehabilitation, and closing KSA gaps. These are services that appear to be related to the emotional, financial, and occupational circumstances in which veterans find themselves more often than other civilian job-seekers because of their military service. Confirming the idea that communities with higher veteran densities would have more veteran interactions, there appears to be less need in those communities for assistance in interacting with recently transitioned veterans. If veterans have more opportunities to meet with other veterans, they may not need help with this from veteran representatives. Two other services that are more highly demanded by veterans in veteran-dense communities are setting job search timelines/planning and negotiating compensation and benefits. It is possible that veterans interactions have raised awareness of the value of getting assistance in these fundamental skills. 39

44 Table 7. Comparing service provision in high and low veteran density communities Employment service Median, high-density population Self-assessment tools Median, low-density population Difference in medians a 1. Developing goals and career interests Inventorying KSAs Emotional readiness for transition Personal financial assessment Self-improvement tools 5. Vocational rehabilitation programs Closing KSAs and other human capital gaps Improving writing and math skills Improving English skills Other programs/resources for skill enhancement Converting military to civilian skills Leveraging military benefits Job market research 12. Locating resources for employment research Career field/employment opportunities/trends Understanding civilian pay and benefits Job search techniques, processes, etc Developing knowledge of companies Understanding employer expectations Job search preparation 18. Job search timeline/planning/expectations Marketing one's self Understanding employment restrictions Preparing resumes/cover letters Understanding communications etiquette Dressing and grooming for success Developing interviewing skills Developing portfolios Dealing with detractors in one's history

45 Table 7. Comparing service provision in high and low veteran density communities Employment service Median, high-density population Median, low-density population Difference in medians a 27. Interacting with recently-transitioned veterans Job search execution 28. Engaging forums and job-search mechanisms Completing job application Networking Negotiating compensation and benefits Additional employment avenues 32. Federal employment Self-employment/entrepreneurial opportunities Placement agencies a. Not all median scores are integers because some veteran representatives offered noninteger responses. Conclusions about community comparisons Segmenting our communities has provided us with some insight into how employment services demanded by veterans and provided by veteran representatives at the One Stop Career Centers differ by the community characteristics and veteran density. In heavily populated communities, the complexity of the job market and high cost of living appear to result in a greater need for employment services that help veterans navigate the job market and negotiate higher wages. In communities with high military presence, veterans appear to have a greater need for services that help them obtain defense-related jobs. Communities with high veteran densities show high demand for specific services that address veterans emotional, financial, and occupational needs. These findings appear to confirm our speculations and point to ways to improve veterans employment services. Why does this matter? The quality of the employment services market is determined not only by the overall quantity or comprehensiveness of services provided but also by how well the providers of these ser- 41

46 vices target the specific needs of veterans by community. If we can identify this variation in needs, we can tailor services to veterans. Beyond veterans employment services Although One Stop Career Center veteran representatives are responsible for providing employment services, our interviews clearly indicate that they provide significant assistance beyond those services that are narrowly defined as employment services. Many of the employment barriers they encounter are related to broader challenges within a veteran s life. These challenges include locating adequate child care, temporary financial assistance, proper interviewing attire, transportation, and connections to other veteran benefits. They also include sorting out challenges with driver s license renewal for veterans with expired licenses a reportedly common situation that can frequently limit employment opportunities. During our interviews, we consistently encountered an attitude best summed up by one veteran representative who said, We are here to deal with the whole veteran, not just the employment piece. As veteran representatives mentioned, they often have to help veterans overcome these other hurdles before helping them with resumes or interviewing skills will make any difference in their employment searches. Their resourcefulness in this regard is impressive. Veteran representatives routinely extend themselves to develop local community contacts to quickly respond to these challenges. Many veteran representatives discussed having on-call resources to help veterans with child care so that they can attend interviews and tend to other career readiness shortfalls. They drive veterans who have transportation challenges to interviews or intervene with employers so that the interviewer can come to the One Stop Career Center to interview the applicant. They also maintain close ties with local veterans service organizations that can help veterans who need immediate financial assistance. We frequently heard such comments as this is not necessarily part of what we are supposed to do but these are the things we must do to be effective in helping veterans to find employment. One of the more poignant examples we uncovered was a veteran representative who bought two men s suits that she keeps hung on the back of her office door for those cases when veterans do not have appropriate interviewing attire. Another veteran representative devel- 42

47 oped a relationship with the local Goodwill store that allowed him to send veterans over to the store manager to be outfitted with proper interviewing apparel at no cost to the veteran. We also encountered several veteran representatives who discussed the role they play in helping veterans with relocation decisions. As one veteran representative told us, Sometimes the best thing I can do for a well-trained and well-educated veteran who comes into my office is set them down with a map and figure out a better place for them to settle where they can get a good job that will use their talents. This kind of advice is perhaps well within the scope of the veteran representatives formal responsibilities, but it nevertheless emphasizes how their advice and assistance span many areas of a veteran s transition areas that figure prominently into a veteran s ability to find quality employment. This holistic approach to helping veterans goes beyond just providing comprehensive employment services. It acknowledges the real challenges that some veterans face as they depart military service and transition into new communities. Although this approach certainly reflects the One Stop Career Centers commitment to tackle veterans employment challenges, it also shows that all of the veteran representatives we interviewed were former military personnel who expressed a passion for veterans helping veterans. 43

48 44 This page intentionally left blank

49 Other government veterans employment services Direct services The primary government providers of veterans employment services are the One Stop Career Centers. Other offerings at these levels sometimes include job board websites 12 and preferential government hiring of veterans. 13 At the local level, many county and city governments include veterans service sections on their organizational websites that link to the One Stop Career Center system. 14 [12, 13][14] The federal government does, however, provide services in addition to funding the One Stop Career Center system. These services include (1) direct services provided to individual veterans and (2) advocacy efforts on behalf of all veterans and their families. We identified two types of federal government employment programs that help veterans. With internal federal government hiring, service providers focus on helping veterans attain employment in a specific federal agency. With external federal government programs, service providers focus on helping veterans succeed in the broader labor market. Internal federal government hiring A driving factor behind the various services available to increase federal government hiring of veterans is Executive Order (Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government), signed by President Obama in This executive order started the Veterans Employment Initiative (VEI), which directed 24 major federal agen- 12. The Employ Florida Vets website [12] is such an example. 13. For instance, the city of San Diego and the state of Florida both offer veterans a preference in hiring [12, 13]. 14. For example, see the DC government website [14]. 45

50 cies to take various actions to promote veteran hiring. These agencies established Veterans Employment Program Manager (VEPM) positions to assist veterans seeking federal employment in their agencies. Veterans are able to contact VEPMs through the FedsHireVets website, which provides information to veterans seeking federal employment. Next, we discuss the VEPMs and their counterparts in the VA that are focused on helping veterans attain employment in specific federal agencies. Veterans Employment Program Manager VEPMs act as advocates for veterans seeking federal employment. VEPMs help veterans navigate the federal application process and take advantage of veterans preference. 15 They also encourage their hiring managers to consider veteran-friendly hiring options, such as special hiring authority. 16 Usually, each VEPM is responsible for hiring only within his or her own agency; however, the VEPMs do network with each other. All VEPMs reported some degree of passing candidates or job openings across agency lines when they think there is a possibility for a good match.[15][16] Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO) The VA has an entire VESO that employs several people who provide services similar to VEPMs. 17 The VA also has a program called VA for VETS, designed to help veterans find and succeed in VA jobs. As part of this program, Regional Veterans Employment Coordinators 15. Federal law requires agencies to give many veterans preferential treatment during the hiring process [15]. 16. Agencies that use special hiring authority may fill positions more quickly, but they may only hire eligible veterans. Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA) allows federal agencies to appoint eligible veterans without competition. Eligible veterans include those who were separated under honorable condition and are [(1)] in receipt of a campaign badge for service during a war or in a campaign or expedition; [(2)] a disabled veteran, [(3)] in receipt of an Armed Forces Service Medal for participation in a military operation, or [(4)] a recently separated veteran (within the last 3 years) [16]. 17. Unlike other agencies, the VA does not refer to people in these positions as VEPMs; however, the employees in the VESO serve the same purpose as VEPMs. 46

51 (RVECs) located throughout the United States serve as a veteranspecific recruiting and staffing service for the VA. External federal government programs Small Business Administration (SBA) The SBA has several programs designed to help veterans succeed in self-employment, such as a network of independent Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs) participating in SBA s Veterans Business Outreach Program. The VBOCs provide counseling and mentoring services to help veterans succeed in small business [17]. Many VBOCs provide services to veterans across wide geographic areas (sometimes several states). Although all areas of the country are served by VBOCs, only one is located within any of our target localities: Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, NC [18]. Veteran entrepreneurs can get loans through the Patriot Express Loan Program. These loans are partially guaranteed by the SBA. The SBA also has an Office of Veterans Business Development, which connects veterans to programs that provide business training, counseling, and assistance with business development. Department of Veterans Affairs The VA has two well-known veterans employment programs: the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (VREP) and the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). VREP is for disabled veterans, and VRAP is only for veterans between the ages of 35 and 60. Because this study is focused on nondisabled 18- to 30-yearold veterans, we do not discuss these further. Department of Defense Although the responsibility for veterans employment services and other after-transition benefits rests formally with the DOL and the VA, the military services continue to support veterans. For instance, several TAP managers mentioned that they help veterans who contact them for assistance (e.g., resume review). In the rest of this section, we discuss more formal DOD programs. The Marine for Life program, started in 2002 by Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Jones, helps separating Marines to connect to their new communities [19]. The program allows Marines 47

52 Veteran advocacy who have transitioned into these communities to serve as mentors for Marines transitioning into the same communities. Marines can go online to the Marine for Life website to request assistance, and a Marine for Life representative will connect them with a fellow Marine mentor in their local communities. Though not solely focused on employment needs, these relationships are intended to improve the networking ability of transitioning Marines and to quickly connect them with employment and other community resources. A similar Army for Life program connects transitioning Soldiers and Army veterans with other Army and National Guard veterans [20]. The Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces (EPAF) is sponsored by the Army National Guard and Army Reserve to help connect employers with current Service Members, but veterans also are eligible for these services. EPAF s key services include access to 1 of 25 regional Program Support Managers (PSMs) and its online job board. The PSMs function much as veteran representatives in the One Stop Career Centers, acting as liaisons to employer human resource departments and helping Service Members and veterans through the job search process [21]. The EPAF website also features a military-tocivilian skills translator. The Hero to Hired (H2H) program is run by the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, a DOD effort to improve quality of life for Guard and Reserve members. 18 Although H2H markets itself to Reserve members, there are no restrictions on who can register. 19 In addition to a job board, the site offers a military-to-civilian skills translator and links to information on traditional and virtual job fairs. 20 The site also offers social networking groups [22]. The federal government also advocates on behalf of veterans and their families. With reports in recent years of high veteran unem- 18. The EPAF and H2H are in the process of merging. 19. In fact, one of our nonveteran analysts registered for an account. 20. However, the virtual hiring events section of the H2H website does not currently list any hiring events, and its previously active blog has not been updated since September

53 ployment rates, there has been a strong push by prominent community and national-level leaders for businesses to hire veterans and their spouses. A good example of this advocacy has been the much-publicized Joining Forces initiative sponsored by the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden serving as key spokespersons. The Joining Forces initiative is broadly focused on the needs of military families but has a prominent employment component. Its website links users to the Veterans Job Bank, where employers can register job openings and veterans can search for jobs. The Joining Forces website also links users to the National Resource Directory (NRD). The NRD is intended to serve Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, Their Families, and Caregivers and allows users to enter their locations and search for the services that they need. As shown in Table 8, however, the number of employment services providers listed in each market is quite small. This site also links to Veterans Recruiting Services, My Next Move, the DOL Gold Card Program, Hero 2 Hired, Hiring Our Heroes, the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, and the VA s Vet-Success.gov site. Table 8. Number of employment service providers in the Joining Forces National Resource Directory by locality Locality Number of service providers San Diego, CA 7 Washington, DC 5 Fayetteville, NC 1 Havelock, NC 0 Tampa, FL 1 Fort Myers, FL 0 Pittsburgh, PA 3 Charleston, WV 0 a. Table 8 shows the number of resources returned on May 1, 2013, when searching the NRD for resources that match the phrase "veteran" and fall under the subject "Employment" within 50 miles of the listed city. 49

54 More fundamentally, however, Joining Forces focuses on encouraging employers to recognize the sacrifices of veterans (and their families), to understand the skills and talents that veterans bring to the workplace, and to commit to hiring them. Advocacy efforts are not unique to the federal government. Private companies, such as RecruitMilitary and other major career fair providers, dedicate time and effort to educating employers about the value of hiring veterans. 50

55 Nongovernment veterans employment services (profit and nonprofit) The variation in our selected localities helps to differentiate how the profit and nonprofit components of the veterans employment services market vary by community characteristics. In general, we find that large metropolitan areas with military installations have a richer mix of profit and nonprofit veterans employment services than smaller communities without military installations. The organization and comprehensive nature of the One Stop Career Centers allowed us to conduct a more structured analysis of how their service provision varies among locality types. Although we have analyzed differences in the profit and nonprofit sectors systematically, the organization of the private sector does not lend itself to the same kind of structured presentation provided in tables 5 through 7 for the One Stop Career Centers. We found, however, that the same variation in service provision by locality type that exists in the One Stop Career Centers is also present with profit and nonprofit service providers in these localities. For example, profit and nonprofit service providers in the urban areas provide relatively more assistance with federal government resume services, because of the existence of a larger federal workforce, than their counterparts in more rural areas. This section describes the six employment services offered by profit and nonprofit businesses and organizations throughout our eight localities: 1. Career fairs 2. Veteran service organizations services 3. Resume and career services, 4. Placement agency services 5. Nonprofit intensive services 6. Other nonprofit veterans employment services 51

56 Because a large share of the services needed by 18- to 30-year-old nondisabled veterans are the same as those needed by the general population, the availability of general employment services seems to better indicate the support that veterans can expect to receive in a given locality. Therefore, we highlight both general and veteranspecific employment services. Career fairs Career fairs are a popular job search forum in each of our localities. The most prominent veteran-focused career fair providers are Hiring Our Heroes (sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), RecruitMilitary, Military.Com/Noncommissioned Officers Association (NCOA), and CivilianJobs.Com. These large, veteran-focused fairs are much more prevalent in our larger metropolitan localities, including the NCR, San Diego, Tampa, and Pittsburgh. Although Fayetteville is one of our smaller localities, the presence of Fort Bragg clearly elevates the attention these large providers pay to it because they routinely conduct fairs in that area. Hiring Our Heroes has conducted two fairs in recent years in Charleston but we found no other evidence of any large-scale, veteran-focused fairs in Charleston and none in Fort Myers and Havelock. Our localities have smaller, veteran-focused regional and local career fair providers as well. For example, Corporate Gray, JobZone, and the Military Officers of America Association (MOAA) conduct veteran career fairs in the NCR, and The Patriot Group Incorporated conducts fairs in the San Diego area. The owners of Corporate Gray and The Patriot Group Incorporated both described their respective localities as being well-served or over-served markets for career fairs. In Pittsburgh, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System conducts the Veterans Employment Expo, Dollar Bank sponsors a job fair and expo called Operation Troop Employment for veterans and their families, and the University of Pittsburgh s Office of Veterans Services hosts a mini-career-fair for veterans. In all eight localities, the One Stop Career Center veteran representatives work with both profit and nonprofit providers to help host veteran-focused career fairs. 52

57 Other large-scale, general career fair providers, such as Coast to Coast Career Fairs, National Career Fairs, Targeted Job Fairs, and Diversity Job Fairs, also conduct fairs throughout our larger metro localities. 21 Veterans are, of course, welcome to attend these fairs, but the fair coordinators do not specifically target their fairs to veterans. In addition to providing a forum for veteran job-seekers and employers to meet and discuss job opportunities, fair providers often increase the value of their fairs in other ways. Hiring Our Heroes has, for example, frequently included General Electric s Veterans Network Transition Program team, which provides a veterans employment workshop. The owner of JobZone career fairs invites a local resume and career service provider to her fairs to assist veterans with those services. The Patriot Group Incorporated provides placement services for clients who have not been successful finding employment at its fairs. Many of these providers also feature prominent online employment tools and resources to prepare veterans for participation in their fairs. Veterans (and other job-seekers in general) are not charged a fee to participate in any of the fairs we found in our eight localities. Rather, fair providers, particularly the for-profit organizations, charge employers and other exhibitors a fee to participate in their fairs. Veterans service organization services Many of the national headquarters for veterans service organizations are located in the NCR. These organizations (1) have a strong political voice in advocating for veteran policies, including those related to employment services and opportunities and (2) sponsor and promote veterans employment services, such as career fairs and online veteran job board services. However, the national headquarters typically do not directly provide veterans employment services. Local chapters in each of our localities also do not typically provide veterans employment services directly. They do, however, provide fa- 21. Many of these fair providers also offer virtual career fairs. This forum is not as common as the traditional career fair but appears to be growing in popularity. 53

58 Resume and career services cilities, sponsorship, and promotion support for career fairs and other veteran employment events in their communities. They also participate in these activities as exhibitors to make veterans aware of membership opportunities in their organizations. Two veterans service organizations do directly provide veterans employment services: Military Officers Association of America and Noncommissioned Officers Association. MOAA, which is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, has an employment assistance section that conducts job fairs, reviews resumes, hosts a job board, delivers lectures and seminars, and hosts networking events. It also partners with the International Franchise Association to provide assistance to veterans interested in entrepreneurial opportunities. The NCOA, headquartered in Selma, TX, also has an employment assistance section that is dedicated to hosting career fairs in coordination with Military.Com (the military arm of Monster.Com). They conduct fairs semiannually in the NCR, San Diego, and Fayetteville and annually in Tampa. Although traditional resume and career service businesses continue to be a feature of the employment service markets in each of our localities, the nature of these businesses has changed considerably in recent years. In each of our localities, resume and career service business owners report that traditional storefront businesses continue to transition to online services and home businesses, or they are going out of business altogether. In the larger localities, particularly the NCR, San Diego, and Tampa, it is easier to locate traditional face-to-face resume and career service providers. Presumably, this is because there is still sufficient demand for traditional service delivery in these localities such that profitable economies of scale can be attained. Even in these larger localities, however, the trend is moving away from traditional service delivery. We found only one exception to this general trend, America s Best Resume Writing Career Counseling and Employment Services. This company has defied the broader industry trend by providing resume writing, career counseling, and related employment services from 15 brick and mortar locations in eastern Virginia and northeastern 54

59 North Carolina. Two of these locations are in the NCR, and two more are scheduled to open by the end of They do not provide any online services. In the smaller localities Fort Myers, Charleston, Fayetteville, and Havelock employment professionals all indicated that traditional resume and career service businesses, to the extent that they exist at all, are transitory. Entrepreneurs see an opportunity to establish local resume businesses but frequently go out of business shortly after starting their enterprises. This is consistent with what we found throughout the resume and career service businesses in these localities; nearly as many phone numbers were out of service as were working. While traditional businesses are transitioning into home businesses and online services, larger solely online services that market their services throughout most metro areas have emerged. These companies typically use such expressions as serving the Tampa area in their marketing and advertising or they have a series of website addresses that vary only by locality name (e.g., so that it appears that their services are locally provided. There is nothing inherently wrong with this marketing approach, but it is important for veterans to understand the service model for the business they are considering. According to local business owners, One Stop Career Center veteran representatives, and online reviews, the quality, cost, and customer service for these online services vary significantly. 22 There are niches within the resume and career services market that serve unique labor market needs. The NCR, for example, has nearly 400,000 federal workers; when vacancies arise, applicants must apply for their positions through using a unique resume format. Some resume and career service businesses focus solely on providing these unique federal resumes. 23 Frequently, these business- 22. We discuss online employment tools and services in greater detail in the next major section of this report. 23. Some resume service providers specialize even further, providing federal government resumes only for those seeking Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. 55

60 Placement agency services Nonprofit intensive services es are established by former federal government human resource professionals. The costs of resumes and cover letters vary widely across our localities. Although we found online costs of as low as $29.99 for a resume, most online and brick-and-mortar providers charge $150 to $400 for traditional resumes and $400 to $1,000 for the more extensive federal government resume. Cover letters typically cost $25 to $50. Technological advances have largely spurred the transition from traditional storefront resume and career service businesses to lower cost home and/or online businesses. Employment professionals also note that this transition has been hastened by the advent of the TAP, One Stop Career Centers, and online do-it-yourself services (all free to transitioning Service Members and veterans). Placement agencies are widely available throughout all of our localities, and, although they take on veterans as clients, we found that they provide limited services beyond attempting to place clients. Their websites usually include employment resource links that provide tips on resume writing, interviewing, and dressing for success, but they do not directly provide these services. There are also executive placement firms that are either located in or advertise in our localities, but these firms are largely focused on more senior Service Members (i.e., over age 30) and are outside the scope of this study. In six of our eight localities, nonprofit organizations provide intensive services (including employment services) to veterans who are challenged with substance abuse, homelessness, or other indigence issues. 24 These organizations fund their services through charitable contributions but also apply for competitive federal grants, including those available through the Female and Families Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (FF-HVRP) from DOL-Veterans' Employment 24. We found no nonprofit organizations that provide intensive services in Fort Myers or Havelock. 56

61 and Training Service (DOL-VETS) and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF) from the VA. These grants are intended to provide housing stability, job training, counseling, and placement services to homeless veterans. The U.S. Veteran Initiative (U.S. VETS) has 11 facilities in 6 states and the District of Columbia and reports helping 3,000 veterans to find housing (or provide temporary housing) and over 1,000 veterans to obtain full-time employment annually. 25 Its goals are to empower veterans to take responsibility for their success, elevate their sense of psychological well-being and self-esteem, guide them toward independence in the community, develop and promote their workforce skills, and support those recovering from drug and alcohol dependency. Program representatives report a 75- to 80-percent success rate in placing veterans into jobs. Services are coordinated with VA medical and mental health services, local businesses that employ veterans, and a wide variety of service agencies and community partners. The Washington, DC, U.S. VETS location is in the process of increasing its capacity; a 95-bed facility is under construction [23, 24]. The Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) is a nonprofit organization that assists over 2,000 veterans and their families annually with substance abuse recovery, mental health counseling, job training and job search assistance, housing, food, clothing, and legal services. Its services start with an orientation followed by assessment testing for aptitude, abilities, skill levels, interests, and values to determine the occupation for which the veteran is best suited. Veterans then are assigned an employment case worker who helps to identify vocational training programs to meet their needs and offers financial assistance 25. U.S. VETS has facilities in St. Louis, MO; Phoenix and Prescott, AZ; Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Riverside, CA; Barbers Point and Waianae, HI; Las Vegas, NV; Houston, TX; and Washington, DC. 57

62 to pay for the training. 26 VVSD complements its training programs with an employment workshop focused on resume writing, job search, and job interviewing. Outside experts conduct these workshops, and a professional career coach and resume writer is also available to assist veterans [25]. The VVSD has received much acclaim in the San Diego area. During our interviews, other employment professionals were quick to mention any association they have had with the program. Tampa Crossroads provides intensive services to homeless female veterans as well as homeless single male veterans who have dependent children. Once the staff has addressed the veteran s housing and other basic needs, a life skills counselor conducts a job readiness assessment. The veteran then is assigned to a career counselor and enrolled in the Veterans Employment Network program (VEN). The career counselor helps the veteran to create an Individualized Employment Plan (IEP) customized to meet their needs. The plan includes goal setting, job skill training, and a timeline for completion of all activities necessary to meet the veteran s employment goals. Plans include the following services, as appropriate: life skills and vocational counseling, resume writing, mock interviewing, connections to community resources, job search support, job skill development workshops, money management training, job training and education, follow-up and employment retention, and child care and transporta- 26. VVSD reports having built extensive partnerships with companies, public agencies, and professional associations, such as Associated General Contractors, that offer apprenticeships and other training opportunities. VVSD helps veterans to gain access to and pays for specific vocational programs, including HVAC renovation, wind technology, green automotive technology, smart meter installation, solar installation, truck driving, public safety/weapons permit, licensed vocational nursing, and certified nursing assistant. These vocational programs are available through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (funded by a grant from the DOL), the Veterans Employment-Related Assistance Program (funded by the California Employment Development Department), Green Jobs Training (funded by the California Employment Development Department), and Programs for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans (funded by private grants from the Call of Duty Endowment and USAA Federal Savings Bank). 58

63 tion assistance. The program helps approximately 70 veterans annually [26, 27]. The Veterans Leadership Program (VLP) of Western Pennsylvania (in the Pittsburgh area) provides comprehensive services to homeless veterans and their families. Services include temporary and permanent housing, employment assistance, support services, qualified referrals, and intensive case management services. Veterans complete an individualized assessment before being referred to a job workshop where case managers provide one-on-one assistance to support the veteran s job search. Case workers focus on removing employment barriers, such as lack of job skills, lack of a resume, or inadequate clothing for interviews or the workplace. Veterans can participate in vocational counseling, resume preparation, workshops, and job fairs, and also can receive stipends for training and educational programs. In addition, the VLP staff offers informal referrals, assistance with networking, and after-placement follow-up. In 2011, the VLP served 2,132 veterans and their families, of which 780 involved employment services. Of these 780, 441 were placed in unsubsidized employment [28, 29]. The Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center primarily provides services to the homeless in the Charleston area. It recently opened a veterans-only transitional housing program and also has a veterans service center that provides case management services to all veterans [30]. Finally, a new nonprofit organization, Veterans Empowering Veterans (VEV), is now helping to serve the employment assistance needs of homeless veterans in Fayetteville. VEV provides case management, counseling, employment training, housing, and benefit assistance to homeless veterans. Veterans must be actively seeking employment to receive employment assistance, which includes help with life skills, resume writing, clothing for job interviews, and child care during job interviews. During its three years of operation, VEV has assisted 200 veterans with employment challenges and, at any given time, is working with 15 to 20 veterans. Its hiring success rate, however, is only 20 to 25 percent, which may not be particularly low given that nearly all of its clients have significant issues related to mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, or other difficult circumstances [31, 32, 33]. 59

64 Other nonprofit veterans employment services Here, we highlight other veterans employment services that do not neatly fit in the profit and nonprofit employment service categories discussed in this section. The National Veterans Transition Services Incorporated (NVTSI) conducts a three-week workshop called REBOOT in three Southern California locations: San Diego, Oceanside, and Orange County. NVTSI assists transitioning veterans in the following areas: employment and career, education, living situation, personal effectiveness/well-being, and community-life functioning. The REBOOT workshop is currently conducted once a month, with the organizational capacity to conduct up to four per month with a maximum of 24 participants per workshop. The employment component of the REBOOT workshop includes resume preparation, career fair events, and mock interviews with a staffing agency. The NVTSI staff reports that 93 percent of its participants have found jobs, with many hired before the completion of the REBOOT workshop. The cost per participant ($2,500) is paid entirely by charitable contributions. NVTSI s current efforts are designed to create an effective model that can be replicated nationally [34, 35]. As previously indicated in our data collection discussion, there are colleges, universities, and other related training and educational institutions that encourage veterans to enhance their skills through courses and programs at their institutions. Although identifying all of these educational and training institutions and their associated programs is beyond the scope of this study, we highlight one particular training program in the NCR because of its sole focus on veterans. The Veterans Enterprise Training & Services Group (VETS Group) was created in 2004 and is part of the National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS). VETS Group provides training programs on site at its NCR facility that improve entrepreneurial and financial literacy and complements these programs with employment assistance to help trained veterans to find employment. One of the VETS Group programs is provided through the United Veterans Learning Center and involves Cisco and Microsoft information technology training. Each year, 7 classes with 16 veterans in each class are trained 60

65 in 6- to 10-week courses; on completion, attendees take certification tests. Each course costs the veteran approximately $3,000, which is typically paid by the GI Bill, scholarships, or WIA resources. A VETS Group recruiter attends a variety of military and veteran forums in the NCR to recruit program participants. VETS Group also manages a consortium of 1,900 colleges and universities that provides support and training to veterans. The consortium grants credit for service and training, does not charge out-of-state tuition to veterans, and provides additional certifications for the training and education that the colleges or universities provide [36, 37]. In addition to the structured profit and nonprofit segments of the veterans employment services market, there is a significant grassroots effort by veterans and veteran supporters to help veterans find employment. Here, we highlight one example that involves a veteran in the NCR who maintains a large veteran employment resource list that he publishes on the internet. This veteran is connected to many employers in the local area and is continuously sharing employment announcements and career readiness information with veterans who have provided him with their addresses. He also cohosts a monthly veterans networking event. Although much less conspicuous than other formally advertised and marketed veterans employment services, these grassroots efforts are nevertheless an important part of the local services market Mr. James Dittbrenner is a veteran and employment professional who has worked extensively to help veterans in the NCR. A member of our study team subscribed to Mr. Dittbrenner s almost daily blast on employment services and opportunities throughout the NCR. These were helpful to our study efforts. In addition, Mr. Dittbrenner was particularly helpful early in our study as he oriented us to key veteran employment information and knowledgeable experts in the NCR. Mr. Dittbrenner and Colonel (USMC retired) Frank Wickersham (Vice President for Corporate Responsibility and Veterans Outreach with VSE Corporation) cohost the monthly Business and Networking Group that is aimed at helping veterans find employment opportunities. 61

66 62 This page intentionally left blank

67 Online veterans employment services Online employment services have become such an important part of the employment service market that, in some respects, the notion of local services can seem a bit antiquated. Local services can no longer be defined solely as face-to-face services that are provided within clearly defined local geographical boundaries. Even service providers whose business operations are locally focused use online services. Although our information collection for local veterans employment services focused primarily on face-to-face services delivered in our eight selected localities, we cannot overstate the extent to which these local services are complemented with online resources. Because the employment services market continues to expand with online services, veterans job search success will, in large part, be determined by how well veterans can master these tools. Although one must be cautious about certain segments of the online market, there are many reputable organizations that provide high-quality online tools to assist veterans with self-assessment, training and education, employment research, and job search. The challenge is to figure out which of the hundreds, if not thousands, of websites can most benefit veterans. To this end, our interaction with these sites and the employment professionals who use them led us to four important best practices: TAP managers should continue to introduce transitioning Service Members to online services and provide current lists of top sites for the various aspects of transition and job search. 28 Local veteran representatives from the One Stop Career Centers use online services extensively and TAP managers should consult them as they assemble and continuously update a list of top websites. Employment experts write online reviews that could be helpful in this regard. (Appendix D provides website ad- 28. Some top websites are highlighted throughout the DOL Employment Workshop curriculum. 63

68 dresses and lists site capabilities. We provide it as a starting point for the development of a veterans online employment service resource for TAP participants.) TAP managers should encourage transitioning Service Members to complement their use of online services with coaching and mentorship from employment professionals. Again, One Stop Career Center veteran representatives are a good starting point for this assistance. They can facilitate career readiness, job search, and provide veterans the added benefit of using the Center s computer resources. Further, TAP managers should caution transitioning Service Members who choose to use online tools independently to read online reviews about the services that they are considering. There are many online blogs and customer reviews of these online resources that can improve the veteran s chances of selecting the best tools. 29 TAP managers also should encourage TAP participants to pause before buying online employment services. Here again, the One Stop Career Centers provide full service veteran employment assistance from some 2,800 offices throughout the United States at no cost to veterans. The Centers also can refer veterans to other high-quality free community services. The current interagency effort to streamline federal government online veterans employment resources is a step in the right direction. However, trying to corral all veterans employment services websites across the public and private market sectors into one common portal may not be feasible. 30 But organizing the resources provided by federal departments and agencies into a more user-friendly portal for veterans is a good start. 29. This is particularly the case with resume services. Our discussions with employment professionals and review of online customer comments indicate that price, quality, and overall customer satisfaction vary widely in this industry. 30. The lack of information in the NRD is an indicator of how difficult it is to get service providers to register their services in a common location to better help veterans find them. 64

69 We emphasize that online resources are a large and growing contributor to veterans employment services. Many of these services are high quality, convenient, and can quickly accelerate a veteran s job search. In fact, because there is essentially no way for veterans to avoid using these tools in the modern job market, it is important to introduce them to veterans and assist them in using these resources wisely. 65

70 66 This page intentionally left blank

71 TAP introduction of local veterans employment services To better understand the introduction to local employment service information that TAP managers provide to TAP participants particularly beyond that provided in the DOL Employment Workshop we conducted interviews with TAP managers from nine different installations in our eight selected localities: Washington, DC: Joint Base Andrews, Fort Belvoir, Naval District Washington, and Fort Meade San Diego, CA: Marine Corps Recruit Depot and Naval Base San Diego (all San Diego Navy installations are jointly managed under a common set of practices and policies) Tampa, FL: MacDill Air Force Base Fayetteville, NC: Fort Bragg Havelock, NC: Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Appendix E lists the DOL Employment Workshop 31 topics used to introduce transitioning Service Members to local employment resources. 32 We also wanted to understand the extent to which TAP managers interact with other local employment service providers. Here, we summarize our findings from these interviews. With the recent implementation of Transition GPS, contracted instructors have replaced local veteran representatives from the One Stop Career Centers as instructors for the DOL Employment Work- 31. The facilitator s curriculum guide is available at Com/resources/DOLEW%20Facilitator%20Guide.pdf last accessed on Mar. 27, When completing DOD Form 2648, Pre-separation Counseling Checklist, TAP participants are afforded the opportunity in section IV, item 11, to request additional information on various employment assistance resources. 67

72 shop. The resulting relationships between TAP teams and the local veteran representatives are in a state of flux and vary widely across installations. At one end of the spectrum, the relationships remain close and robust. The Joint Base Andrews TAP manager and her local veteran representative visit each other s offices weekly and frequently exchange s on various topics. The TAP manager also instructs all TAP participants to contact their local One Stop Career Centers as soon as they arrive at their transition destination. The Fort Belvoir TAP manager provides the local veteran representative with office space and gives him 15 minutes during the TAP curriculum to introduce the One Stop Career Centers and the Gold Card Program and to discuss other local nonprofit programs, such as the Easter Seals Project Manager Program and the American Information Technology Certification Program. Likewise, the MacDill Air Force Base TAP manager provides an office in its Family Readiness Center for the veteran representatives from the Pinellas and Hillsborough Centers so that they may regularly interact with transitioning Service Members. The Family Readiness Center has a satellite office in Tampa (off the installation) and welcomes veterans to use its services, including inviting them to the installation for quarterly career fairs. In addition, the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point s TAP manager (a former veteran representative from a local employment office) regularly invites the local veteran representative to address TAP participants and participate in all employment-related activities on the air station. Other TAP managers, however, have limited interaction with local veteran employment representatives, no longer include them in their TAP, and adhere strictly to the prescribed Transition GPS curriculum. The TAP managers from Naval District Washington, Fort Meade, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, and San Diego area Navy installations do not provide local representatives with an opportunity to present any supplemental information to that provided in the DOL Employment Workshop. The Fort Bragg TAP manager adheres to the DOL Employment Workshop but continues to house a satellite office (connected with the Fayetteville One Stop Career Center) on the installation. Even 68

73 though the three veteran representatives located there no longer directly participate in the formal TAP curriculum, they are available for consultations with transitioning Service Members. TAP managers also provided additional comments, which we summarize here: Although some of the veteran representatives feel somewhat disenfranchised now that they no longer teach the DOL Employment Workshop, some TAP managers remarked that they believe the instruction s standardization has improved with the contracted instructors. Some TAP managers wanted to have more flexibility in the Transition GPS curriculum so that they can deal creatively with specific issues that their TAP participants might have. This also could include time for them to introduce local employment services representatives who could provide information to enhance the DOL Employment Workshop information. Finally, TAP managers regularly mentioned their desire to systematically receive feedback from their TAP participants following separation. Although they often receive thank-you cards or other notes, they do not have a systematic feedback process that enables TAP participants to share their job search outcomes or other information that could help TAP managers to improve their programs. Our interviews and discussions with TAP managers and their veteran representative counterparts at the One Stop Career Centers have led us to three important best practices. We discuss each in the paragraphs that follow. First, as part of the DOL Employment Workshop, veteran representatives should be provided an opportunity to introduce the capabilities of One Stop Career Centers. Although the workshop includes information about these Centers, actually introducing veteran representatives and giving them a few minutes to discuss how they can help transitioning Service Members and veterans would almost certainly improve the chances that Service Members would use the Centers. Veteran representatives frequently indicate that job-seekers have a limited understanding of their employment services, so this introduction also would help veterans better understand the full range of ser- 69

74 vices that the Centers offer. We do not believe that providing this opportunity should necessarily open the door for all other local service providers to address TAP classes. The fact that the DOL has the federal mandate to provide veteran employment services and that One Stop Career Centers fall under the DOL and provide the majority of employment services within communities should afford them unique standing relative to other local service providers. Providing this opportunity also seems consistent with what we understand is a desire to have a warm handoff of transitioning Service Members from the DOD to the DOL for employment services. In fact, one veteran representative provided a compelling account of the value of this best practice. A TAP manager invited him to address a group of Transition GPS participants. A couple of days later, two of the participants came to the veteran representative s office and asked if he could help them find employment in the North Dakota oil industry. The veteran representative contacted one of his counterparts in North Dakota, and both Service Members were hired before they ever departed their final duty station in North Carolina. When they arrived in North Dakota, the veteran representative greeted them and provided further assistance in getting them settled in their new community. Second, in addition to including veteran representatives as part of the DOL Employment Workshop, TAP managers should be allocated some curriculum time to introduce other local information. It would expose transitioning Service Members directly to service providers and also help to reinforce the broader strategic intent for communities to embrace veterans and improve their job opportunities. Third, TAP managers should have a systematic feedback process that enables them to track how well their transitioning Service Members have fared, particularly their job searches. Systematic feedback could help improve the overall TAP process, help future transitioning Service Members to understand the challenges and opportunities that they face (including information about community resources that helped others), and improve the job satisfaction of the TAP teams Developing the architecture and protocols for a systematic feedback process is beyond the scope of this study. We mention it here to voice a concern expressed repeatedly by TAP managers in our interviews. 70

75 Key findings and observations In this section, we summarize our findings and observations as they relate to the study questions introduced earlier: What range of veterans employment services is available from all governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses at the local level, and how do those services vary by community characteristics? How do governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses work together at the local level to help deliver high-quality veterans employment services? What costs do veterans incur for services in the veterans employment services market? Are installation TAP managers familiar with the nature and availability of local employment resources, and what are best practices for connecting transitioning Service Members to local employment resources once they leave military service? Are there gaps in employment services provided at the local level that can be mitigated? The availability of veterans employment services The heart of the supply side of the veterans employment services market is the One Stop Career Center system that is sponsored by the DOL and run by the state employment commissions. Despite extensive media reports that highlight numerous national and local initiatives designed to assist veterans, One Stop Career Center veteran representatives report that their services frequently make up 80 percent to 90 percent of the available veterans employment services in rural localities. The results of our analysis are consistent with that estimate. Although this percentage is less in urban areas, these One Stop Career Centers still provide the preponderance of available ser- 71

76 vices. 34 As such, this report s emphasis on One Stop Career Center services reflects our findings that the Centers (1) provide the majority of local veterans employment services and (2) serve a pivotal role in helping facilitate the service provision of many other local service providers. Although other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses provide niche services, the Centers provide comprehensive services needed for every aspect of a veteran job-seeker s career readiness preparation and employment search. In fact, the Centers directly provide services (or can obtain them for veterans through referrals) beyond those advertised on their websites ( Specifically, our virtual search of their sites revealed that most Centers provide, at least in part, 24 of the 34 services that we identified as being necessary for a veteran s job search success in our literature review. However, our site visits revealed that most Centers provide at least partial (and usually substantial) assistance with all 34 services. This is not to say, however, that other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and businesses are unimportant or unnecessary contributors to the local supply of veterans employment services. Veteran-focused career fair providers, for example, dedicate a great deal of time to help employers understand the employment value of veterans, which improves the chance that an employer will participate in their fairs. Similarly, the Joining Forces initiative also highlights the employment value of veterans and encourages employers to help improve veteran employment opportunities. Resume and career service businesses specializing in more complicated federal resumes can be particularly helpful to veterans in employment markets, such as the NCR, where the federal government is one of the largest local employers. Nonprofit intensive service organizations have unique capabilities with access to community resources that position them to help veterans struggling with homelessness, substance abuse, and related financial problems. 34. In contrast to this report s seemingly strong focus on One Stop Career Center services, our study team actually spent more time and resources searching for profit and nonprofit and other governmental services than for One Stop Career Center services. 72

77 Although our locality sample size is not sufficiently large to offer strong conclusions about how services vary by community characteristics, some relationships are sufficiently clear to offer tentative conclusions. Community characteristics appear to play an important role in determining the availability of services beyond those provided by One Stop Career Centers. Urban areas have larger economies of scale for the common employment service needs of both veteran and nonveteran job-seekers. As a result, the market appears to be more successful in urban localities in generating employment service choices including those for veterans. Large veteran-focused career fairs and veteran intensive service organizations, for example, are more prevalent in urban areas. Military installation presence and high veteran populations appear to increase the orientation of employment services toward veterans but do not, by themselves, generate more employment services choices. More and varied services appear to be driven by a locality s overall population. Large metro areas with significant military installation presence certainly appear to provide the most choices for veterans employment services. For the localities in this study, that includes the NCR and San Diego areas. But there are exceptions. Pittsburgh, PA, with no military presence, was rated the number one location in the United States for transitioning military personnel by Sperling s Best Places in 2012, although the factors in that ranking did not specifically include veterans employment services [38]. 35 Pittsburgh s focus on veterans employment is seemingly much more in line with that expected in highly populated localities with a modest to strong military presence. Local cooperation to deliver veterans employment services A high level of cooperation among local veterans employment service providers is pervasive in each of our localities. Local employment officials demonstrate a strong knowledge of other services in their community and how they work together with these service providers to provide high-quality, comprehensive veterans employment services. 35. DOD and DOL program managers could consider encouraging Sperling s Best Places and any other services that rate localities to expand their rating criteria to include veterans employment services. 73

78 One Stop Career Centers play a much larger role in the WIB process than many job-seekers may realize. 36 In addition to providing employment services to job-seekers and employers, the Centers are an important hub that facilitates many related community activities and services. Knowing which of these related services a veteran needs starts with an update and refinement of the veteran s career readiness assessment that he or she completed during Transition GPS. These actions are critically important to getting job-seekers the right services, avoiding unnecessary expenses for services that may not be needed (or that can be provided without cost to the job-seeker), and minimizing the time to find employment. The Centers coordinate many complementary employment services with other community agencies (job-seeker transportation, financial assistance, child care, vocational rehabilitation, upgrades to military discharge characterizations, training, proper interviewing attire, etc.). These complementary services, while frequently not within the narrow definition of employment services, are nevertheless key to improving the overall career readiness of veteran job-seekers. Vocational rehabilitative services, which are typically associated with disabled workers, are a good example of how effective this coordination can be. Veteran representatives are able to work with other local agencies to designate veteran job-seekers as eligible for these services even before they receive their official VA disability ratings. One Stop Career Centers also enable and support other local employment services providers. Government and nongovernment businesses and organizations often partner with the Centers to leverage their relationships with local employers and their knowledge of local job-seekers. Though the Centers do not directly provide entrepreneurial services, they are connected to local representatives from the SBA, Chambers of Commerce, local banks, community colleges, and 36. One Stop Career Center veteran representatives frequently remarked that many clients have a limited view of their services. This view often revolves around unemployment benefits and job search assistance but excludes a deeper understanding of how the Centers work with employers, the WIB, and other local service providers to help coordinate and manage the local labor market and the services that facilitate it. 74

79 business roundtables, all of which serve as valuable resources for veterans who are interested in starting their own businesses. One Stop Career Centers also facilitate the interaction of veterans employment service providers and other labor market participants who collectively help veterans. For example: They stay closely connected to local business owners, particularly those with veteran owners, and use them as resources to help improve veterans employment services and opportunities. In one account, a local veteran business owner approached the veteran representative and explained that he was having difficulty hiring welders who knew how to weld certain metals. The veteran representative coordinated a meeting with the business owner and the local community college welding staff. The staff quickly put together a new course in these welding techniques, which provided a steady supply of welding talent from which the local business owner could draw. They frequently serve as a sole source job applicant referral service for many local businesses. In many respects, this role enables them to reduce business costs by effectively serving as an extension of a business s human resources department. They increase the value of online veterans employment services by determining and assisting veterans in the use of best of breed websites. They network with One Stop Career Centers around the country to help veterans make good relocation choices and get connected with One Stop Career Center veteran representatives before arriving in a new community. In this regard, veteran representatives are a valuable resource not only for veterans but also for Service Members starting to plan their transitions. They perform an honest broker role within the local labor market. The credibility and ultimately the effectiveness of the One Stop Career Centers are dependent on their track record for referring quality job-seekers to local employers. This is a powerful incentive that drives quality within the Centers and ensures proper preparation of veteran job-seekers. 75

80 Local cooperation goes beyond the coordinating role played by the One Stop Career Centers, however. There are numerous examples of how other service providers and community organizations work together to enhance veterans employment services and opportunities. Joining Forces helps to promote various veteran career fairs conducted by other organizations. Career fair providers frequently partner with local resume and career service businesses and other employment workshop providers to improve the value veterans receive from the fairs. Veterans service organizations help sponsor local career fairs and work with nonprofit intensive service organizations to assist veterans who have pressing financial needs. Training and educational institutions work with career fair providers and nonprofit intensive service organizations to connect veterans needing skill enhancement with their services. Our assessment is that community cooperation to provide veterans employment services is strong in all eight localities. Although we do not want to underestimate the altruism involved with helping veterans at this time, our assessment is that this strong community cooperation reflects the complexity of career readiness and the desire by these organizations for veterans to succeed. Veteran job-seekers, like other job-seekers, frequently need services beyond those narrowly defined as employment services to successfully enter the labor force. The needs of veterans and the desire by community organizations to see veterans succeed drive the cooperation among diverse community service providers. Employment services costs incurred by veterans Essentially all veterans employment services are available free of charge. Veterans can, of course, choose to purchase employment services. This occurs most frequently with resume and career services and education/training courses (in cases not covered by the GI Bill). Resume and career service businesses have widely varying rates, but most providers charge $150 to $400 for traditional resumes and $400 to $1,000 for the more extensive federal government resume. 37 Cover 37. Although some internet service providers advertise resume services for as little as $29.99, veterans should be wary of such offers. 76

81 letters typically cost $25 to $50. Hourly rates for career coaching also vary widely; most owners quote $50 to $60 per hour. Standard resume and cover letter services are, however, available from One Stop Career Centers at no charge to veterans (or other job-seekers). Private and public educational and training institutions charge veterans for courses, but many veterans are able to use their GI Bill benefits to avoid out-of-pocket costs. Veterans must be mindful that the VA will not pay for education and training unless it has certified the institution. Although most mainstream training and educational institutions are certified, veterans should confirm the certification before entering into any formal agreements to attend courses. Nonprofit intensive service organizations (e.g., VVSD) also report being able to provide veterans with scholarships and assistance that are funded through charitable donations or government grants. Although there are many free online employment resources, there are others for which job-seekers must pay to subscribe. Veterans should be strongly encouraged to seek advice from their local One Stop Career Center veteran representatives before paying for these services. These representatives usually can provide the needed service free of charge or assist the veteran in finding equivalent online services that are free or inexpensive. TAP managers and local veterans employment services The DOL Employment Workshop portion of the Transition GPS curriculum provides TAP participants with an introduction to local veterans employment services. The shift in responsibility for providing this workshop from One Stop Career Center veteran representatives to contracted instructors has, in some cases, disconnected TAP managers and local veteran representatives. Although this disconnection has no doubt been precipitated by the change in DOL Employment Workshop instructors, we observed that other factors also are affecting this situation. In a number of cases, the disconnection appears to be more a function of local personalities and perhaps convenient interpretations of allowable discretion. Some TAP managers have maintained vibrant relationships with local veteran representatives. They have found ways to continue including local veteran representatives in their TAP activities, allowing them to 77

82 supplement the local veterans employment information provided in the DOL Employment Workshop. Other TAP managers have taken a strict adherence approach to executing the Transition GPS curriculum and, as a result, have effectively discontinued their relationships with local veteran representatives (although sometimes reluctantly because they see the value of these relationships). Our assessment is that DOD Transition GPS program managers, despite having piloted and implemented the new curriculum, continue to be open to recommendations (including those from TAP managers) for program improvements and clarifications. 38 Clarifying that TAP managers have the latitude to feature veteran representatives at Transition GPS, and encouraging them to do so, should help resolve any misunderstandings. Nearly every TAP manager also expressed a desire for a formal feedback system through which they can learn about the transition experiences of their TAP participants. Not only would such a system be beneficial to local TAP managers, it also could help inform future changes to the overall DOD TAP. Gaps and overlaps in veterans employment services In each of our eight localities, we were able to locate all 34 veterans employment services identified in our literature review. In the more rural localities, however, we were frequently unable to find services beyond those offered by the One Stop Career Centers (or from online providers). In addition to locating all 34 veterans employment services, we found no indications of unreasonable waiting times to receive these employment services. Even in the nonprofit intensive service organizations where one might expect backlogs for supporting services (such as temporary housing), we found no instances where capacity constraints caused veterans to be turned away or to wait for unreasonable periods. We did find this somewhat surprising given media 38. The fact that the study sponsor included questions about the veterans employment information being provided by TAP managers and the relationship between TAP managers and local veteran representatives indicates the intent that there be a close working relationship. 78

83 reports of veteran unemployment and homelessness. However, One Stop Career Center and nonprofit intensive services representatives pointed out that one of their biggest challenges is to get veterans to take advantage of their services. 39 This may well be a significant reason why we encountered no evidence of service backlogs and may suggest that additional efforts are needed to encourage veterans to use available services. We also looked for indications of overlaps in services, particularly from government agencies. Although we found situations where a federal government department or agency provided some limited services that are generally available through the One Stop Career Center system, they provided the services narrowly in support of veterans who were applying for that department or agency s hiring needs. We did not, however, find any situations where government agencies were significantly duplicating the veterans employment services provided by the One Stop Career Center. We also encountered private businesses whose services could represent an overlapping of sorts in the employment service market. When private businesses see niche opportunities (e.g., resume provision) to provide services that are otherwise available through the One Stop Career Centers, they sometimes overestimate unfilled market demand. The fact that some of these businesses are described by local employment officials as transitory is an indication that they represent excess capacity in the marketplace, and, because of their profit imperative, they sometimes fade from the market or downsize into lower cost home business and online arrangements. 39. One Stop Career Center veteran representatives in particular mentioned a number of explanations for why some veterans do not take advantage of their services. They include (1) an attitude of you get what you pay for, (2) the thought that employment offices are only for the down and out, (3) an attitude of independence and a reluctance to seek help, and (4) lack of knowledge about what services are available or even about the existence of the One Stop Career Center system. CNA is conducting a companion study to this research in which analysts will ask focus group questions to better understand the reasons why veterans may hesitate to use employment resources. 79

84 80 This page intentionally left blank

85 Recommendations Here we provide recommendations for action by policy-makers and leadership and for local TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives. Recommended actions for policy-makers and leadership Policy-makers and leaders should incorporate the following messages into their statements and discussions about transitioning and veterans employment services: One Stop Career Centers are the centerpiece for veterans employment services in local communities. These Centers provide high-quality services and are well-positioned to help connect veterans to other local community services, including employment services offered by other providers. The One Stop Career Centers services should be likened to other benefits that veterans receive from various government agencies. One Stop Career Center veteran representatives are all, or nearly all, veterans themselves and understand the unique challenges associated with making the transition from military service to civilian life. TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives must form strong working relationships at the local level. Their exchanges of information and observations on trends are essential to reinforcing the concept of a warm handoff between the military and civilian sectors as the transitioning Service Member moves to veteran status. To assist in this message, DOD TAP managers should clarify that nothing in the Transition GPS curriculum precludes these relationships and that TAP managers have the latitude and are strongly encouraged to feature local veteran representatives, and other local community service providers as they see fit, in Transition GPS. Local service providers should be encouraged to register their services on the NRD. This resource directory is sparsely popu- 81

86 lated, and yet it has the potential to be a helpful resource for those that the NRD website indicates it is intended to serve: Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, Their Families and Caregivers. DOD TAP managers should encourage organizations that provide locality favorability ratings for veteran transition (e.g., Sperling s Best Places) to include veterans employment services in their rating criteria. Local community leaders and employment service providers should be commended for their strong partnering and community cooperation working together to support veterans. We also recommend the following actions: DOD TAP managers should assess the costs and benefits of developing a formal system for veterans to provide feedback on their transition experiences. The Current Population Survey (with veteran supplemental survey) collects some information on veterans transition experiences and outcomes and may be a good starting point to determine the kinds of information that should be collected. This information is necessary for future program improvement, but it also could play a key role in the job satisfaction of local TAP managers and their teams. This effort would provide the information necessary to better understand the demand side of veterans employment services, including related dynamics such as motivations for relocation and occupational choice. The current interagency effort to develop and implement a single web portal for federal veterans employment information should continue. The amount of information spread across multiple websites is overwhelming and a single web portal to navigate through this information will be helpful for veterans. Lastly, we want to clarify what we mean by leadership. Although the term refers to senior military and civilian leaders, it also refers to small-unit leaders, including young noncommissioned officers, who are usually the first-line supervisors for junior military personnel who are planning their transitions. In many respects, military commanders have outsourced transition programs to the local TAP manager, but that does not mean that these leaders and their subordinate 82

87 leaders do not have to discuss transition matters with their transitioning Service Members. Transitioning Service Members frequently look to their first-line supervisors for advice and counsel about their futures, regardless of whether these junior leaders have any firsthand transition experience. Recommended actions for TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives We recommend the following actions for local TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives: Maintain active working relationships in which veteran representatives are given the opportunity to address TAP participants during Transition GPS. This relationship should serve as the core of local military-civilian cooperation on veterans employment services a core that allows for the inclusion of other local providers for the benefit of transitioning Service Members and veterans. Encourage TAP participants to visit their local One Stop Career Center veteran representatives upon relocation to their new communities. This encouragement should be tied to the need for transitioning Service Members to update the career readiness assessment that they completed during Transition GPS. Veteran representatives are uniquely positioned to help with this update and are likewise positioned to offer their services to help veterans realize their transition goals. Develop and maintain an up-to-date list of best of breed online employment services to provide to transitioning Service Members and veterans. This effort should include two important messages for veterans: Veterans should not purchase online services until they have visited with a One Stop Career Center veteran representative who can most likely provide them with the same services free of charge, and Veterans who choose to use online services should seek assistance from One Stop Career Center veteran representa- 83

88 tives who have extensive experience using these sites to help veterans. Encourage local service providers to register their services on the NRD. Assume a leadership role to continue fostering an atmosphere of community cooperation among local service providers. 84

89 Conclusion The recently implemented Transition GPS curriculum represents the first time in about 20 years that the TAP has been overhauled. As part of this overhaul, program managers have asked some important questions: Once separated from service, what local employment services are available to help veterans who need assistance beyond what they received in Transition GPS? How does the availability of veterans employment services vary across communities? Are TAP managers introducing transitioning Service Members to these local services and working with other local service providers to do so? We found that veterans employment services are readily available in all eight localities that we studied; however, there are more choices in larger metropolitan areas where the common and collective needs of veteran and nonveteran job-seekers create sufficient demand for a nongovernment services market segment. Across both governmental and nongovernmental service sectors, we found slight variations in service provision by community characteristics. Population/density, veteran population, and the presence of military installations all contributed to subtle differences in the need for and provision of various services. Although veterans in rural areas have fewer choices, they are served equally with veterans in urban areas by the centerpiece of the veterans employment services market, the One Stop Career Center system. These Centers provide comprehensive veterans employment services from most of their 2,800 locations throughout the United States. Of the 34 employment services we defined as being essential to career readiness and job search success, these Centers provide all 34 either in whole or in substantial measure. TAP managers introduce transitioning Service Members to the One Stop Career Center concept and to other local services during the DOL Employment Workshop portion of Transition GPS. In addition, some TAP managers invite local One Stop Career Center veteran representatives to supplement the information provided in the workshop. Other TAP managers have adhered more strictly to the Transi- 85

90 tion GPS curriculum and no longer provide veteran representatives access to speak with transitioning Service Members. Our assessment is that this access is important to building a seamless transition that ensures a warm handoff of transitioning Service Members from TAP managers to local One Stop Career Center veteran representatives. There are important actions that policy-makers, leadership, local TAP managers, and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives can take to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transition services. The most important of these is that policy-makers and leadership should stress in their communications that the One Stop Career Center system is the centerpiece for high-quality local veterans employment services and that veterans should take full advantage of these services. Local TAP managers and One Stop Career Center veteran representatives must maintain active working relationships. They form the core for local military-civilian cooperation that also includes the participation of other local service providers. Finally, our TAP manager interviews indicated that Transition GPS represents a significant improvement in the DOD TAP. We believe the findings and recommendations provided in this report can further improve transition outcomes by building a stronger bridge between services provided before transition and those available after. 86

91 Appendix A: Keywords used in veterans employment services search The following is a list of the keywords we used in our veterans employment services search (conducted both online and in the Yellow Pages): Career assistance Career coaching services Career expos Career fairs Career opportunities Career placement services Career programs Career resources Career services Career transition Employing heroes Employing veterans Employment assistance Employment opportunities Employment programs Employment resources Employment services Employment transition Federal veteran employment 87

92 Federal veteran hiring Federal veteran jobs Federal veteran opportunities Government grants for veteran assistance Government grants for veteran employment Government grants for veteran hiring Government grants for veteran services Government grants for veteran transition Headhunter services Helping veterans Hiring assistance Hiring expos Hiring fairs Hiring heroes Hiring opportunities Hiring programs Hiring resources Hiring services Hiring veterans Homeless veteran employment programs Homeless veteran programs Indigent veteran employment programs Indigent veteran programs Job assistance Job expos Job fairs Job opportunities 88

93 Job placement services Job programs Job resources Job services Job transition Jobs for heroes Military-to-civilian transition Outplacement services Reemployment services Resume services Supporting veterans Transition assistance Transition opportunities Transition programs Transition resources Transition services Transitioning military Transitioning Service Members Transitioning veterans Veteran employment success Veteran entrepreneurial opportunities Veteran hiring success Veteran job success Veteran transition success Veteran/military assistance Veteran/military career assistance Veteran/military career expos 89

94 Veteran/military career fairs Veteran/military career opportunities Veteran/military career planning Veteran/military career programs Veteran/military career resources Veteran/military career services Veteran/military career transition Veteran/military employment assistance Veteran/military employment opportunities Veteran/military employment programs Veteran/military employment resources Veteran/military employment services Veteran/military employment transition Veteran/military hiring assistance Veteran/military hiring expos Veteran/military hiring fairs Veteran/military hiring opportunities Veteran/military hiring programs Veteran/military hiring programs Veteran/military hiring resources Veteran/military hiring services Veteran/military job assistance Veteran/military job expos Veteran/military job fairs Veteran/military job opportunities Veteran/military job placement Veteran/military job programs 90

95 Veteran/military job resources Veteran/military job services Veteran/military job transition Veteran/military opportunities Veteran/military programs Veteran/military resources Veteran/military retraining programs Veteran/military services Veteran/military transition Veteran/military transition assistance Veteran/military transition opportunities Veteran/military transition programs Veteran/military transition resources Veteran/military transition services Veteran/military vocational rehabilitation and training Veterans service organizations and associations 91

96 92 This page intentionally left blank

97 Appendix B: Defining veterans employment services The following is a comprehensive list of veterans employment services against which we compared local services throughout this study: 1. Self-assessment tools a. Developing life goals and inventorying career interests Short and long term Attitude toward transition and change b. Inventory of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) Skills/work activities Levels of responsibility/autonomy Working environment Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) Verify current security clearance Educational and training achievements c. Emotional readiness for transition d. Personal financial assessment 2. Self-improvement tools a. Vocational rehabilitation programs b. Closing KSA and other human capital gaps c. Improving writing and math skills d. Improving English skills e. Other programs/resources for skill enhancement 93

98 f. Converting military training/skills into civilian credentials g. Leveraging military benefits for skill/education attainment 3. Job market research a. Locating resources for career and employment research b. Career field and employment opportunities and trends Advertised and not advertised (hidden job market) Understanding how employers prefer to fill positions Employee referral bonuses Employer hiring timelines c. Understanding civilian pay and benefits models d. Job search techniques, processes, technologies, and forums e. Developing knowledge of target companies and organizations Key leaders Key clients, markets, and associated geography Key products and services Needs and trends of the organization Other organizational characteristics History of hiring veterans Where the particular veteran could fit in and contribute f. Understanding employer expectations 4. Job search preparation a. Setting job search timeline planning/expectations b. Marketing one s self Audiences and messaging Developing and rehearsing elevator pitches 94

99 Membership in relevant professional associations Employer use of social media to screen applicants Understanding/influencing employer stereotypes of veterans c. Understanding employment restrictions Post-service ethics counseling Appearance of conflict of interest d. Preparing resumes and cover letters Writing style, accuracy, and professionalism Value to and use by employers Typing and formats Tailoring for specific jobs Selection, listing, and notification of references e. Understanding communications etiquette Contact information and addresses Avoiding the unprofessional Proper voic greetings f. Dressing and grooming for success g. Developing interviewing skills Resources on frequently asked questions Deportment Tips and common mistakes Answering inappropriate questions Business cards Thank-you notes Post-interview follow-up h. Developing portfolios i. Dealing with detractors in one s history 95

100 j. Interacting with recently transitioned veterans 5. Job search execution a. Engaging forums and other job-search mechanisms Communications technologies and techniques Job boards Career fairs and related forums Job placement options b. Completing job applications c. Networking with industry people, colleagues, and friends Techniques on how to develop contacts Helpful technologies How to use contacts responsibly d. Negotiating compensation and benefits Understanding civilian pay and benefits models Evaluating job offers Researching industry norms Proper timing to discuss 6. Additional employment avenues a. Federal employment Hiring preferences for veterans b. Self-employment and entrepreneurial opportunities Franchises Home businesses c. Placement agencies 96

101 Appendix C: Data collection protocol We used the following list of questions to conduct our telephonic and face-to-face interviews with service providers. We asked service providers these questions for each of the 34 services listed in appendix B: Do you provide this service? If you do, generally how do you provide it? If you do not provide this service, where would you refer veterans so that they could receive this service? What other service providers in your community provide this service to veterans? At the end of each interview, we asked service providers if they offer services that we did not mention, and also provided them with an opportunity to discuss other information about veterans services in their communities or community characteristics in general. A distinct pattern emerged across localities and service providers. The One Stop Career Centers were the only providers who offered comprehensive employment services. Other providers offered a small number of services related to their particular market niches (e.g., resume providers). To better understand the relative importance of each of our 34 services across locality types, we added the following question for each employment service during our face-to-face interviews with One Stop Career Center veteran representatives. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being very infrequently and 5 being very frequently), how often do you provide this service to veterans? Since the One Stop Career Centers provide all 34 services, the responses to this question allowed us to understand the relative demand for each service by locality. Asking the same question of service providers who offer a single or small number of services would have provided few or misleading insights because the service providers do not provide a sufficient range of services by which to judge relative importance or need. 97

102 98 This page intentionally left blank

103 Appendix D: Online veterans employment services The following online employment services websites are provided as an additional resource for readers. We intend this list to be a starting point for the development of a veterans online employment services resource for TAP participants. It provides website addresses and lists site capabilities. URL s_jobboard.guid Summary -job board -career advice -job fair information -career advice -job board -career advice -job board -job board -military skills translator -military skills translator -job board -job board -employer information -federal government job information -job board -training opportunities -training opportunities -occupational information 99

104 -career advice -career/skill assessment Transition/jobsearchresources.aspx oyment/veterans/default.aspx artment-of-veterans-affairs-federalgrants.html -career advice -employer information -job fair information -job board -job board -military skills translator -job board -military skills translator -career advice -job board -job fair information -job fair information -job board -job board -job fair information -career advice -career/skill assessment -training opportunities -training opportunities -employer information -career advice -training opportunities -job board -employer information -job fair information 100

105 overview/overview/ -job board -employer information -training opportunities -resume services oyment/employment/job_seekers/ -job fair information -employer information -job board -federal government job information -job fair information -career advice -job fair information -employer information -job board -military skills translator -job fair information -job board -job fair information -job fair information -resume services -job board -job board -career advice -job board -career/skill assessment -career advice 101

106 MOC/ heroes/ employer information -job board -military skills translator -career advice -job board -job fair information -career advice -career/skill assessment -career advice -training opportunities -job board -career advice -job board -job fair information -employer information -job board -military skills translator -job board -job fair information -job board -federal government job information -resume services -job fair information -military skills translator -job board -career advice -training opportunities -resume services -career/skill assessment -career advice 102

107 /programs/warriors-towork.aspx?option=com_careertrack&ite mid= career/skill assessment -resume services -job board -military skills translator -job fair information -career/skill assessment -career advice -occupational information -job board -job fair information -job board -job board -federal government job information -job board 103

108 104 This page intentionally left blank

109 Appendix E: DOL Employment Workshop The following local veterans employment services information is discussed in the DOL Employment Workshop: Local One Stop Career Centers and the DOL Gold Card Program The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Office of Apprenticeship, DOL Various types of private employment services College, university, and other school career services Military and professional associations Phone and/or industry directories Industrial/craft unions Job fairs and hiring events Chamber of Commerce Military and family support centers 105

110 106 This page intentionally left blank

111 Glossary DOD DOL DOL- VETS EPAF ESL Department of Defense Department of Labor Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces English as a Second Language FF-HVRP Female and Families Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program H2H HSE IEP KSAs MOAA MOS MSA Hero to Hired High School Equivalency Individualized Employment Plan Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Military Officers Association of America Military Occupational Specialty Metropolitan Statistical Area NABVETS National Association for Black Veterans NCOA NCR NRD NVTSI OJT Noncommissioned Officers Association National Capital Region National Resource Directory National Veterans Transition Services Incorporated On-the-Job Training 107

112 PSM OJT RVEC SBA SES SSVF TAP Program Support Manager On-the-Job Training Regional Veterans Employment Coordinator Small Business Administration Senior Executive Service Supportive Services for Veteran Families Transition Assistance Program Transition Transition Goals, Plans, and Success GPS U.S. VETS United States Veteran Initiative VA VBOC VEI VEN VMET VEPM VESO VETS Group VEV VLP VRAP VREP VOW Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Business Outreach Center Veterans Employment Initiative Veterans Employment Network Verification of Military Experience and Training Veterans Employment Program Manager Veteran Employment Services Office Veterans Enterprise Training & Services Group Veterans Empowering Veterans Veterans Leadership Program Veterans Retraining Assistance Program Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program Veterans Opportunity to Work 108

113 VVSD WIA WIB Veterans Village of San Diego Workforce Investment Act Workforce Investment Board 109

114 110 This page intentionally left blank

115 References [1] Public Law (125 Statute 711), Title II. VOW to Hire Heroes. Nov. 21, [2] Susan S. Kelly, Director of Transition to Veterans Program Office. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Testimony before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, House Armed Services Committee, House of Representitives. Transition Assistance Program. Apr. 24, [3] Carl S. Savino and Ronald L. Krannich. From Air Force Blue to Corporate Gray: A Career Transition Guide for Air Force Personnel. Fairfax Station, VA: Competitive Edge Services, [4] Tom Wolfe. Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to- Civilian Career Transition. 1 st ed. Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, [5] Richard N. Bolles. What Color Is Your Parachute? 2012: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers. 40 th ed. New York: Ten Speed Press, [6] ZipAtlas.Com. "Zip Code, Area Code, City, & State Profiles." ZipAtlas. 2013, last accessed May 31, 2013, at zipatlas.com/. [7] "Wagner-Peyser/Labor Exchange." Employment & Training Administration (ETA) - U.S. Department of Labor, last accessed Feb. 4, 2013, at wagner_ peyser.cfm. [8] Public Law (49 Statute 620). Social Security Act of Aug. 14, 1935 (now codified as Title 42 of the United States Code, Chapter 7). [9] Public Law (112 Statute 936), 105 th Congress. Workforce Investment Act of Aug. 7,

116 [10] U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. The Plain English Version of the Workforce Investment Act of Sep [11] National Center for O*NET Development. "O*NET OnLine," last accessed May 31, 2013, at [12] Geographic Solutions, Inc. "Florida Veterans Program Portal." Employ Florida Marketplace, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [13] City of San Diego. "Frequently Asked Questions Employment Opportunities." City of San Diego Official Website, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [14] "Veterans." Department of Employment Services, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [15] "Veterans' Preference." Feds Hire Vets, last accessed Jan. 22, 2013, at [16] "Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans." Feds Hire Vets, last accessed May 31, 2013, at job/shav/. [17] "Veterans Business Outreach Centers." SBA.gov, last accessed Jan. 31, 2013, at [18] "Veterans Business Outreach Center." Fayetteville State University, last accessed Jan. 31, 2013, at [19] "Connecting Marines with Opportunity." Marine For Life, last accessed Mar. 22, 2013, at [20] "Soldier for Life." The United States Army, last accessed Mar. 22, 2013, at [21] "Overview." Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces, last accessed Dec. 20, 2012, at AboutUs/Overview.aspx. 112

117 [22] "Jobs for Members of the Reserve Component and Military Spouses Hero 2 Hired." H2H, last accessed Jan. 17, 2013, at [23] "Providing Veterans Services Including Housing, Job Training, and Counseling." U.S.VETS, last accessed October 24, 2012 at [24] Telephone conversation with Shalimar Cabrera, U.S. VETS. Oct. 24, [25] "Home." Veterans Village of San Diego, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [26] "Welcome." Tampa Crossroads Drug Testing, Substance Abuse Counseling, Mental Health Evaluations, Residential Treatment & Veterans Services, last accessed Dec. 20, 2012, at tampacrossroads.com/. [27] Telephone conversation with Marie Galbraith, Tampa Crossroads. Dec. 20, [28] "VLPWPA." Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, last accessed Dec. 5, 2012, at [29] Telephone conversation with Scott Grady, case manager, Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. Dec. 5, [30] Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [31] "Home Page." Veterans Empowering Veterans, last accessed May 31, 2013, at [32] "Giving a Hand Up, Not a Hand Out." The United States Army, last accessed May 31, 2013, at /_Giving_a_hand_up not_a_hand_out_/. [33] Telephone conversation with Calvin Elder, representative, Veterans Empowering Veterans. Dec. 7,

118 [34] National Veterans Transition Services, Inc. "Helping Veterans Successfully Transition From the Battlefront to the Homefront!" REBOOT Workshop, last accessed Nov. 21, 2012, at [35] Telephone conversation with Kalem Riley, National Veterans Transition Services Inc. Nov. 21, [36] Telephone conversation with Joseph Ollison, VETS Group. Oct. 25, [37] "Welcome to the VETS Group!" VETS Group, last accessed Oct. 25, 2012 at [38] "The Top 10 Places for Veterans: 2012." Military.com, last accessed May 31, 2013, at jobs/career-advice/2012/11/09/top-10-places-for-veterans html. 114

119 List of tables Table 1. Localities selected for employment service case studies Table 2. Locality labor market characteristics Table 3. One Stop Career Centers in our eight localities Table 4. Table 5. Table 6. Table 7. Table 8. Services that One Stop Career Centers provide to jobseekers Comparing service provision in heavily and less populated communities Comparing service provision in high and low (or no) military presence communities Comparing service provision in high and low veteran density communities Number of employment service providers in the Joining Forces National Resource Directory by locality

120 116 This page intentionally left blank

121

122 DRM-2013-U Final