Nashville Career Center Invites Employers to Join Forces with Veterans
Monday, November 07, 2011 | 10:13am
Local Office Opens House to Jobless Veterans
NASHVILLE – Veteran’s Day is recognized across the nation as a celebration to honor America's veterans, living patriots either currently serving or retired, for their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Governor Haslam has joined in honoring Tennessee’s veterans by naming November 6-12 as Veterans Recognition Week.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Commissioner Karla Davis requested the proclamation to raise awareness of the Department’s program to employ veterans returning from service and of past military campaigns.
“Tennessee Career Centers are here to support veterans and do whatever we can to connect them with work opportunities, said Commissioner Davis. “The state has veterans’ representatives who are standing by to offer career counseling, job matching, and we consult employers on the benefits of hiring Tennessee’s vets.”
On Thursday, November 10, 2011, the Nashville North Career Center is hosting an open house from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. in recognition of Veteran’s Day. All veterans and non-veterans are welcome. Employers are invited to learn more about the Career Center’s services. The Nashville North Career Center is located at 2200 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.
Statewide, the Tennessee Department of Labor provides job service to nearly 35,000 veterans every year. Labor representatives are partnering with many branches of the military to reach returning service members as they transition from military to civilian life.
According to John Alexander, a 20-year Air Force veteran and the veterans’ employment representative in the Nashville North Career, “Veterans bring many important, marketable attributes to the table – integrity, a strong work ethic, and respect for authority and the chain of command, as well as leadership and technical skills that are much in demand in the workplace.”
Lee Hall, a 22-year Navy veteran and disabled veteran outreach specialist also in the Nashville North Career Center, serves as the Intensive Services Coordinator for the entire state. He coordinates services with the department’s Career Center veterans’ representatives working with disabled veterans and with the U.S. Veterans Administration.
All Tennessee Career Centers give veterans “priority of service,” a federal initiative that gives veterans first notice of job orders from local employers. Employee recruiting is a free service to all employers and applicants are screened based on the experience criteria set by the employer.
Tennessee employers can benefit from hiring veterans by receiving federal income tax credits under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program or WOTC. Tennessee is in the top ten in the nation for employers using WOTC, and this year more than 50,000 income tax credits were approved for new hires. To receive additional information regarding WOTC, please call 1-800-432-5268 (in state only) or visit http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/wotc.html.
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