Welcome to the Veterans’ Employment Services (VES) Newsletter. Our mission is to assist you and your family secure meaningful careers in Michigan.

The concept of veterans helping veterans is a trademark of the VES team and one of the keys to its success. Veterans face many challenges when transitioning out of the military – finding meaningful employment should not be one of them.

• Veterans in need of employment assistance should contact the nearest Michigan Works! One-Stop Service Center by calling 800-285-WORKS (9675) or visiting MichiganWorks.org.
• More information about Veterans’ Employment Services is available at Michigan.gov/VES.
• Register today and start your job search at Pure Michigan Talent Connect at MiTalent.org.

To address the employee shortages across industries, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – Workforce Development (LEO-WD) hosted its first ever Employer 101 Registered Apprenticeship Programs Webinar to inform employers about developing their own workforce through a Registered Apprenticeship.

Months of preparation led to a successful event with more than 80 employers from around the state in attendance. Veterans’ Employment Services led the way in orchestrating the event, focused on providing resourceful information and actionable items for Michigan employers.

Scott Jedele with the Statewide Apprenticeship Expansion team within LEO-WD, provided information about grants available to employers through the State Apprenticeship Expansion. Employers also learned how the GI Bill could benefit their respective companies and about becoming state approved from Troy Tissue and Shaftone Dunklin from the State Approving Agency. The Department of Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency urged employers to be part of the Veteran Friendly Employer list where their commitment to hiring Veterans is front and center. Steve Gillotte, a Talent Development Liaison with LEO-WD, shared a wealth of knowledge on how different industries could receive assistance to help their business thrive.

As a bonus, employers had the opportunity to learn about a Registered Apprenticeship success story from Xpanxion, based in Macomb County. Xpanxion’s Step it Up Program highlighted the wins of the company and their success hiring Veterans as apprentices for their Information Technology program since their inception in 1999.

The goal of the webinar – to increase the awareness and access to resources related to starting a Registered Apprenticeship Program for employers in Michigan – was reached! Employers took action during the event to become recognized as Veteran Friendly Employers; they connected with their Local Veteran’s Employment Representatives and learned how to connect with their respective Apprenticeship Success Coordinator.

To find out more about the resources discussed, check out the video recording of the event.

ICYMI – In June, Governor Whitmer signed a series of bills which will remove barriers and help Veterans and their families continue their careers in Michigan, accelerating Michigan's economic recovery.  

 "I am proud to sign these bipartisan bills to clear the path for our military service members, Veterans, and their dependents to enter a licensed profession," said Governor Whitmer. "This legislation will help us attract and retain talent in Michigan and boosts our broader effort to put Michigan back to work. Our veterans and their families have made countless sacrifices, and it is time that we give back to those who have bravely served our nation."   

"Combined with tuition assistance, job training and leadership development, these bills demonstrate the commitment we have made to ensure state government recognizes the tremendous sacrifice made by our military members, veterans and their families," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.  "These new laws will eliminate a significant burden often faced by our military families." 

Read the full press release here.

Shane Scherer – Local Veterans Employment Representative, Grand Rapids

How has your military experience helped you in your position as a Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER)?

Having to multitask under very stressful conditions while deployed has made it much easier to be effective in my position as a LVER. In addition, being a squad leader and having to rely on the teamwork of my section while patrolling in Afghanistan has been essential to making me a better team member while working with the Veterans Career Advisors to place Veterans in employment opportunities. 

What should Veterans expect when they meet with a LVER?

Veterans should expect to be treated with kindness and be ready to receive top notch assistance navigating and executing the job development process. This is primarily achieved by working behind the scenes to break down the red tape associated with the hiring process and by working with employers that the LVER has established relationships with.

What resource do you recommend to Veterans seeking employment? 

The first and easiest thing to do is to ask family members and friends if their companies are hiring - those types of referrals are often excellent. The next move is to seek out their local Michigan Works! service center and really commit to their process. There are so many services and programs available to help job seekers in general, and it’s the easiest way to specifically segue Veteran job seekers into working with VES.

Nicholas Hughey, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran with more than 8 years of experience as a communications and supply chain manager met with William (Bill) Mourufas, a Veterans Career Advisor based in Sault Sainte Marie. Nicholas has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Social Work and was pursuing a related graduate degree. While creating an employment action plan, it became clear that Nicholas was looking for a part-time job that would allow him the flexibility to care for his daughter and continue his education, as well as something that would allow him to use his military experience and life skills to continue making meaningful differences.

Bill began working with Nicholas by providing him individualized job leads, and prevocational skills and career coaching to achieve his goal. Just a few days after Nicholas entered our program, his story came up during a routine meeting VES manager James Taylor, who was aware of a job lead that appeared perfect for Nicholas – a supply manager for the Sault Animal Hospital. Nicholas agreed it was just what he was looking for and within a couple of days the interview was set.

Just six days after meeting with Bill and the VES team, Nicholas interviewed for the position at Sault Animal Hospital and was offered the job!

Nicholas is thrilled to work in a position where he could utilize his military experience as a supply chain manager and work in an environment where he’s able to make a difference in a meaningful way. 

This event on Friday, September 10, will be an opportunity for Veterans to get resources for benefits offered through the VA, the state, and their local community. For Veterans seeking employment, there will be multiple employers on site doing same-day interviews. Other services include:

• Public Defenders for legal assistance
• Expungement Services representatives
• Battle Creek VA Medical Center for assistance with registration for VHA
• Michigan Veterans Resource Service Center for assistance, DD214 retrieval, and a connection to Veteran Service Officers
• Michigan Veterans Trust Fund to start the application process for emergency aid
• Muskegon County Veteran Services
• Muskegon County Health Department for vaccinations and information on services they provide
• Department of Treasury for assistance with looking for unclaimed property
• Secretary of State will offer services that can be done online and assist with interpreting any Michigan driving records to determine eligibility for an appeal

For more information and to register, visit: https://bit.ly/3yHvEaR.