SACRAMENTO >> The California Employment Development Department (EDD) is calling on California’s employers to celebrate Veterans Day with a renewed commitment to hiring those who have served in the military.
“EDD is proud to serve veterans throughout the year by connecting them with California employers who value the skills military men and women bring to the workforce,” said EDD Director Patrick W. Henning. “Employers who hire veterans get experienced employees who are tested, proven and true.”
The EDD is marking Veterans Day with “Vets, Ready for the Workforce,” an outreach effort to both employers seeking workers and veterans seeking jobs. EDD’s new Veterans Day webpage includes data on veteran employment in California and the skills veterans bring to the workplace. The webpage also features job services for veterans, resources employers can use to hire veterans, and stories on veterans who have transitioned to successful civilian careers and the employers who hired them.
California is home to 1.9 million veterans. Currently, 900,000 veterans are employed in California in industry sectors that include professional and business services, educational and health services, public administration, wholesale and retail trade, transportation and utilities, manufacturing, and construction.
“Making the transition from military life to the civilian workforce can be a challenge,” said Dr. Vito Imbasciani, Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). “Fortunately, there are numerous programs designed to assist veterans, whether that means help writing a résumé, learning new skills or connecting with employers who appreciate the value of military experience. As a state, California is committed to helping veterans transition into their productive, successful civilian lives.”
For more than a decade, EDD has held “Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet” job and resource fairs throughout California to connect veterans with employers looking to hire veterans. These events have brought together more than 34,000 veterans and over 12,500 employers and resource agencies. Under a Governor Brown’s initiative, the events are administered by EDD in coordination with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and other departments.
