Frye: Lifting Up Our Veteran Workforce This Labor Day

Frye is focused on helping connect more of our vets to education, training and employment.

INDIANAPOLIS - Labor Day is for recognizing the contribution workers make to America, from bus drivers and delivery workers to police officers and firefighters, our workforce is diverse and strong. A large segment of our workforce is comprised of veterans who offer many great skills and talents. That's why I'm focused on helping connect more of our vets to education, training and employment, because we want our nation's heroes to call Indiana home.

Nearly half of Indiana's workforce is comprised of former service men and women, including those working in public service like law enforcement or state government. However 6,000 veterans in Indiana are unemployed despite having a lot to offer. We know that vets can face a number of challenges re-joining the civilian workforce when they return home from service. While they have talent and skills, they may not hold the necessary degrees or certifications to apply for positions. Another challenge veterans encounter is struggling to translate the work they've done for their country into a resume.

Hoosier employers can connect with these skilled workers through the Hire a Veteran program. Employers can also receive federal tax credits for hiring a veteran. With the Next Level Jobs Employer Training Grant, employers can be reimbursed as they train, hire and retain new or incumbent workers to fill in-demand positions in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, IT and business services, building and construction, health and life sciences, and transportation and logistics. To learn more, visit nextleveljobs.org.

Jobseekers can also take advantage of NextLevel Jobs to skill up for higher-paying positions for fast-growing industries. The Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant covers tuition costs for those earning a high-value certificate from Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University, a great resource to give careers a boost. More than 30,000 Hoosiers have been trained through the Workforce Ready Grant. For other opportunities, be sure to connect with Indiana Department of Workforce Development, which offers several different services for veterans, such as face-to-face reviews of Indiana Career Connect, direct referrals to established jobs and development, assistance with resume building and interview training, and transitioning assistance.

Potential employees can also connect with employers through INDemand Jobs at IndianaCareerReady.com/INDemandJobs. This website helps job seekers search for and connect with some of the fastest growing jobs in Indiana, including accountants and auditors, computer systems analysts, construction managers, financial managers, and general and operations managers.

If you or someone you know is a former member of the military, please know there are resources to help. If you need assistance connecting to state resources, please contact me directly at H67@iga.in.gov. To the more than 3.3 million members of the Hoosier labor force, including our veterans, thank you for working hard and making Indiana a better place to live.