Do you know what the Veterans current unemployment and economic rate is? According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, 2015 Veteran Economic Opportunity Report, approximately one out of two (53%) separating Post-9/11 Veterans will face a period of unemployment. While national unemployment rates have declined, the on-the ground reality is that half of our Veterans enter a period of unemployment upon transition. Veterans want to work and are not relying on the full term of their unemployment benefits. The report goes on to state that about 95% of Veterans will connect to employment before using the full 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. However, the average duration of unemployment is on the rise from 18 weeks in the last 6 years to 22 weeks in 2013. Post-9/11 Era Veterans are doing better than their non-Veteran peers in earnings. Post-9/11 Veterans attain 11% higher median earnings than non-Veterans with similar demographic characteristics. However, Veterans of all eras attain 3% lower median earnings than non-Veterans with similar demographic characteristics.
The national unemployment rate for the general population September 2015 held at 5.1% yet we still have too many Veterans who are unemployed. What are companies and organizations doing to help our Veterans transition into civilian jobs?
The National Apartment Association (NAA) and its affiliates offer assistance for Veterans to access the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) Program, a career and employment assistance program that is a resource for our military and their spouses. Sponsored by the Department of Defense and the National Apartment Association and its affiliates, it offers ways for them to earn their designations. Many candidates earn their Certified Apartment Maintenance (CAMT), Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) certificates and are still growing in this industry. These employees will and can be tomorrow’s next Regional Supervisor or CEO of today’s top companies.
National Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Shonna Schneider-Marquis states, “We’ve placed an initiative called Hire a Veteran over three years ago and we have seen great success. It is a “Shadow Program” where they get to see the day in the life of careers in the Multifamily Industry. Then we go through an in-depth career counseling session. We assess skills and experience and work on resume development, interview preparation, strategies for sourcing job opportunities and so much more. We offer them our Free Leasing 101 and our EPA Certification Programs. We feel it is still not enough. We are always looking for more ways to give back to these men and women who have given so much to our country.”
Our President, Ken Bohan stated in an interview, “There has always been a transition period as people leave the military and join the civilian workforce. “We work closely with a broad spectrum of employers to help shorten that transition time, he said. “They understand the value that Veterans bring. There has been a large push through the National Apartment Association and its other state affiliates to educate future employers of the many benefits of hiring Veterans. This is a personal passion of mine and at The Liberty Group we see this partnership with our employers and our returning men and women mutually beneficial.”
Green Light A Vet
How to get involved: Change one lightbulb in your home or office and shine a light on our Veterans and their families. Go to www.greenlightavet.com and once you have taken a picture of your green light, post on social media using #greenlightavet and shine your appreciation to those who have sacrificed so much. If you would like further information how to implement a Hire A Veteran Program within your organization, email Shonna Schneider-Marquis, National Director of Marketing and Public Relations at shonnas@thelibertygroup.com
