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Military-to-Work' Expands Access to Jobs
CWA Morton Bahr received the Department of Labor’s highest award for improving employment opportunities for veterans, Nov. 10, in recognition of a referral program CWA has developed jointly with DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service.
The Internet-based program, developed with a grant CWA received from the Department a year ago, has been up and running on a trial basis since mid-August and is now available on 260 military bases.
More than 170 soon-to-be-released military personnel have applied for referrals to major telecommunications and information technology employers. Similar opportunities for civilian CWA members are available through CWA’s World Wide Web site.
“CWA, under President Bahr’s leadership, is on the cutting edge of preparing America’s workers for the changing workplace of the 21st century,” said Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, who presented Bahr with the Sonny Montgomery Award. The award is named for former congressman Sonny Montgomery, a champion for veterans’ education, health and job training benefits.
In accepting the award, Bahr recognized that America has an untapped reserve of potential employees who have received technical training in the military. “We have workers who are going to be left behind if we don’t put them in touch with the jobs,” Bahr said.
Noting that the “Military-to-Work” pilot program is only in its first phase, Bahr pledged, “Our union will do everything possible to make the program a huge success.”
“Military-to-Work is providing us invaluable information and experience that will be used to help CWA members find or change jobs,” said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who has oversight of the union’s employment and training programs.
In November 1997 CWA received a $138,000 grant from DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service to create an Internet based job-tracking and skills-assessment program for all persons leaving the military and to conduct tests at selected sites where VETS provides a three-day Transition Assistance Program.
Paul Anderson, CWA’s director of apprenticeship, benefits and employment, said as many as 160,000 military personnel seek guidance counseling annually before returning to civilian life. Through TAP centers on military bases around the world, soon-to-be-released service personnel can now register their technical skills and apply for possible positions at employers including AT&T, Lucent Technologies, U S West and Pacific Telesis.
A manual to help veterans correlate military occupational skills with civilian skills has been developed with a companion grant to the Women’s Research and Education Institute. CWA Secretary- Treasurer Barbara Easterling is a member of the WREI board of directors.
In the second phase of the grant program, said Steve Hill, CWA employment center and apprenticeship administrator, CWA will perform skills-assessments and certification in addition to referrals. Talks are underway with CISCO Systems and Lucent Technologies to assist in developing an assessment and training component.
Service personnel soon to be discharged can register with the Military-to-Work program by accessing www.cwajobs.com, a secured World Wide Web site. Passwords are provided by TAP centers.
CWA members can access its civilian counterpart at ga.cwa-union.org. Click on Telecom/IT Job Opportunities under Worker and Industry Information. Follow instructions that appear on the screen.
The Internet-based program, developed with a grant CWA received from the Department a year ago, has been up and running on a trial basis since mid-August and is now available on 260 military bases.
More than 170 soon-to-be-released military personnel have applied for referrals to major telecommunications and information technology employers. Similar opportunities for civilian CWA members are available through CWA’s World Wide Web site.
“CWA, under President Bahr’s leadership, is on the cutting edge of preparing America’s workers for the changing workplace of the 21st century,” said Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, who presented Bahr with the Sonny Montgomery Award. The award is named for former congressman Sonny Montgomery, a champion for veterans’ education, health and job training benefits.
In accepting the award, Bahr recognized that America has an untapped reserve of potential employees who have received technical training in the military. “We have workers who are going to be left behind if we don’t put them in touch with the jobs,” Bahr said.
Noting that the “Military-to-Work” pilot program is only in its first phase, Bahr pledged, “Our union will do everything possible to make the program a huge success.”
“Military-to-Work is providing us invaluable information and experience that will be used to help CWA members find or change jobs,” said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who has oversight of the union’s employment and training programs.
In November 1997 CWA received a $138,000 grant from DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service to create an Internet based job-tracking and skills-assessment program for all persons leaving the military and to conduct tests at selected sites where VETS provides a three-day Transition Assistance Program.
Paul Anderson, CWA’s director of apprenticeship, benefits and employment, said as many as 160,000 military personnel seek guidance counseling annually before returning to civilian life. Through TAP centers on military bases around the world, soon-to-be-released service personnel can now register their technical skills and apply for possible positions at employers including AT&T, Lucent Technologies, U S West and Pacific Telesis.
A manual to help veterans correlate military occupational skills with civilian skills has been developed with a companion grant to the Women’s Research and Education Institute. CWA Secretary- Treasurer Barbara Easterling is a member of the WREI board of directors.
In the second phase of the grant program, said Steve Hill, CWA employment center and apprenticeship administrator, CWA will perform skills-assessments and certification in addition to referrals. Talks are underway with CISCO Systems and Lucent Technologies to assist in developing an assessment and training component.
Service personnel soon to be discharged can register with the Military-to-Work program by accessing www.cwajobs.com, a secured World Wide Web site. Passwords are provided by TAP centers.
CWA members can access its civilian counterpart at ga.cwa-union.org. Click on Telecom/IT Job Opportunities under Worker and Industry Information. Follow instructions that appear on the screen.