We at DPI Staffing are proud to officially announce our VETS FIRST initiative. This initiative is a concerted effort to hire vets first and help veterans and veterans with disabilities overcome barriers to competitive employment.
The Challenge: High Veteran Unemployment
The most recent veterans had a 12.1% unemployment rate in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are Gulf War-era II veterans who served on active duty anytime after September 2001. Why such a high unemployment rate? Veterans, particularly veterans with disabilities, face all kinds of barriers when transitioning from military service into civilian employment. Often there’s a lack of clear translation of their military occupational specialty (MOS) to civilian job descriptions. Plus, misconceptions surrounding their service-connected disability are common, or even a perceived high cost of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on-the-job accommodations.
Making a Commitment to Hire Vets First
“VETS FIRST is about recognizing and prioritizing our efforts to hire veterans, and to help determine how their military skills translate to the civilian workforce,” says Travis Pearson. Travis is Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at DPI Staffing, and a veteran of both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard. “Plus, veterans are rife with transferable job skills and a great work ethic, and we’re going to continue to invest in them as quality employees,” he added.
At DPI, we’ve built a reputation on employing people with disabilities, and that includes veterans. Business growth opportunities are expanding in 2012. And we’re ramping up our efforts to provide employment to those who have served our country.
Are you a veteran seeking employment, or an employer looking to hire veterans? Contact us to learn more about the VETS FIRST initiative.
