RCEDA 8.5x11 Report d3

Serving ThoseWho Have Served Our Country “Are you a Veteran?” is the first question asked to any new customer entering an AJCC. If the answer is “yes,” Veterans are invited to visit with a Veteran Services Navigator to determine all the services available to the Veteran, including State services. In addition to training and placement services offered through the AJCCs, there are State Veteran representatives who specialize in assisting veterans with disabilities located on-site in Riverside and Indio. To assist with serving Veterans, we obtained the Veterans Employment Assistance Program (VEAP) Grant, which ended April 30th 2018. WDD exceeded grant goals, serving 121 Veterans over the planned 75. This was successful through the cooperation of the AJCC career coaches in collaboration with EDD’s Veteran staff. The majority of Veterans were served from the Riverside AJCC. The program design required participants to complete 12 hours of soft skill workshops prior to placement in a job, on-the-job training or attending school. Lessons learned from this grant on how to better serve Veterans included: • The required 12 hours of soft skills training proved a challenge to some veterans. Future workshops will be recommended rather than required • Some Veteran participants informed staff that they do not want job placement as an outcome because it reduces their total government benefits (e.g., housing, cash assistance) they receive when their income increases. Follow-up on a regional basis with this claim is being pursued. In the meantime, anecdotal evidence suggests it is a real concern to participants and is a disincentive to program participation with full-time high wage employment as a goal. Mark Palacio is amilitary veteranwho startedworkingwith a career coach on September 17, 2017 as part of the VEAP grant. He is married and supporting his family of four. Mark worked thirteen years as a commercial truck driver until he lost his employment and was unable to continue driving commercial vehicles. He had been unemployed since December of 2016 and unlikely to be able towork as a commercial truck driver again. Mark was approved to attend heavy equipment operator training and successfully completed the course. He obtained full time employment as a water pump truck driver at $29.00 per hour in March of 2018. Veteran Success Stories

192 Veterans Provided Career Services and Training Barriers to Employment Among VEAP Participants: Low-Income – 69 Disabled – 10 English Language Learner - 1 Single Parent (including single pregnant women) – 8 Displaced Homemaker – 1 Ex-Offenders – 5 Lacking a high school diploma – 5 Homeless - 8

Dennis, another veteran, was recently discharged from military service in September of 2017 and received training through the VEAP grant. He worked for approximately 14 years in logistics during his military service. Dennis searched for employment in the same field but learned that he needed to obtain a certification in order to be considered for this type of logistics occupation. He felt confident that with additional training, he would be able to compete with other job seekers to obtain gainful employment with wages sufficient to support his family of four. He was working on his Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation/Logistics Management, but still needed at least another year to earn his degree. Dennis was approved to attend the Freight Broker/Agent training offered at College of the Desert fromDecember 2017 to June 2018 and earned his certification. He obtained full-time employment as a purchasing agent/warehousemanager at $17 per hour; allowing him to support his family and continue with his college coursework to earn his Bachelor’s degree.

39

www. r i v c o e d a . o r g