17,000 Veterans To Benefit From $26 Million In Job Training Grants
Ninety-one grants, totaling nearly $26 million have been released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), to provide approximately 17,000 veterans with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers. The grants were awarded under the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) and Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP).
Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to state and local workforce investment boards, local public agencies, and nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and community organizations. These agencies have a familiarity with the area and population to be served and have demonstrated that they can administer an effective program.
More than $6.8 million will be used to support 12 VWIP grants to help veterans from targeted groups overcome employment barriers and ease their transition into unsubsidized jobs.
Through this program, veterans receive skills assessments, individual job counseling, labor market information, classroom or on-the-job training, skills upgrading and retraining, placement assistance and crucial follow-up services.
The Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) expects the VWIP grants to provide training for more than 3,800 veterans. Veterans receiving assistance under these grants may also be eligible for services through other Workforce Investment Act programs for economically disadvantaged or dislocated workers.
To assist our nation’s homeless veterans, the Department of Labor is awarding more than $19 million in 79 HVRP grants. These funds are being distributed nationwide through 42 newly competed HVRP grants and 37 current HVRP grants receiving second- and third-year funding.
HVRP grants help homeless veterans, often with barriers to employment, to reintegrate into America’s workforce.
Homeless veterans may receive occupational, classroom and on-the-job training, as well as job search help and job placement assistance, including follow-up services. VETS expects these funds to help nearly 13,000 homeless veterans.
Grantees under both programs network and coordinate their efforts with various other local, state and federal social service providers.
HVRP is recognized as an extraordinarily efficient and effective program and is the only federal program that focuses exclusively on employment of veterans who are homeless.
