Veterans with Disabilities: An Untapped Workforce Presented by: Debra Ruh, Founder & Chairman, TecAccess Chip West, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Health.

Veterans with Disabilities: An Untapped Workforce

Presented by: Debra Ruh, Founder & Chairman, TecAccess

Chip West, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Health Consultation Services, TecAccess

www.TecAccess.net2

Overview

TecAccess Introduction

DVET Training Program

The Impact

How to Emulate

Summary

www.TecAccess.net3

TecAccess

RESULTS:

• Tap into New Markets

• Expand Consumer Base

• Avoid Litigation

• Maximize ROI

Workforce SolutionsStaff Augmentation, Veteran Re-Training and Placement, Career Planning

ComprehensiveAccessibility ProgramsTesting, Training, Remediation

Targeted Market ResearchFocus Groups, Usability Studies, Marketing for Targeted Demographics

Accessibility & Workforce Solutions

Accessibility & Workforce Solutions

DVETDVET

www.TecAccess.net4

Current Climate

Over 6 million veterans have a disability. (2006 American Community Survey)

Over 700,000 are unemployed in any given month. For those who are employed, they are drastically underemployed.

Over 200,000 annually will flood the civilian job market as they leave the military in coming years (Dept. of Labor).

Over $14 billion in public funds are invested each year in the training and education of service members (Dept. of Defense).

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Market & Need Aging workforce.

Increase in labor and skill demands.

Employers are looking for new ways to tap into all potential employees to remain competitive.

At the very same time, veterans with disabilities are drastically unemployed and underemployed, especially in the IT arena.

There is a clear dual need.

Impact

• 92% of consumers feel more favorable toward companies that hire employees with disabilities.

• 73% of businesses report no cost for accommodations.

• Hiring people with disabilities ranks 3rd as an indicator of a company’s commitment to social justice.

• Employees with disabilities retained on average 50% longer than “traditional” workers.

• Reduced turnover -- estimated cost of a single turnover is 93-200% of annual salary.

Impact

• 92% of consumers feel more favorable toward companies that hire employees with disabilities.

• 73% of businesses report no cost for accommodations.

• Hiring people with disabilities ranks 3rd as an indicator of a company’s commitment to social justice.

• Employees with disabilities retained on average 50% longer than “traditional” workers.

• Reduced turnover -- estimated cost of a single turnover is 93-200% of annual salary.

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Filling the Dual Need

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DVET – How it Began

First-of-its-kind pilot program, initially launched in Virginia in 2007.

DVET has grown into a nationwide endeavor.

DVET is designed to ensure that veterans receive support, job training, and placement. 

Driven by a dynamic partnership: Virginia Dept. of Veteran Services, Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, Virginia Employment Commission,

and TecAccess.    

www.TecAccess.net8

How It Works

TecAccess was awarded a contract to establish a program to train and directly employ Virginia’s Disabled Veterans (DVET) to become for example:

IT Professionals

Procurement Specialists

Web Designers

Program Managers

Business Analysts

IMPACT

“This partnership offers an innovative approach to increasing employment for Virginia's disabled veterans, guaranteeing participants professional training and employment with TecAccess."

~~Governor Tim Kaine

IMPACT

“This partnership offers an innovative approach to increasing employment for Virginia's disabled veterans, guaranteeing participants professional training and employment with TecAccess."

~~Governor Tim Kaine

www.TecAccess.net9

As the DVET program progressed, government agencies and system integrators became interested in veterans with disabilities working in accessibility roles.

Example, the VA IT Accessibility Standard, modeled after Section 508.

As a result, DVET began to offer one training track for veterans to serve as E&IT accessibility specialists to meet the growing demand.

Applying DVET to the Accessibility Field

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DVET Training Model Veterans with disabilities face challenges, both physical and mental.

DVET provides a mixture of :

o Training in assistive technologyo Online/virtual job training from the veteran’s homeo Mentoring/follow-along support in a unique career field o Behavioral health support and coaching o Job placement

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You are You are identified as a identified as a

Qualified Qualified CandidateCandidate

EmployerEmployerdetermines determines

you are goodyou are goodcandidate forcandidate fortheir companytheir company

Start Job/Follow Start Job/Follow Along SupportAlong Support

1. Job offered-you 1. Job offered-you mustmust complete training! complete training!2. Employer assigns you a sponsor2. Employer assigns you a sponsor3. Schedule agreed-10 Hrs/week minimum;3. Schedule agreed-10 Hrs/week minimum; you may be able to test out of some coursesyou may be able to test out of some courses4. Hire date with employer determined4. Hire date with employer determined5. You sign Student Agreement; Start training5. You sign Student Agreement; Start training

Em

plo

yer

Rec

ruiti

ngE

mp

loye

r R

ecru

iting

Te

cAcc

ess

Te

cAcc

ess

Student Entrance Process

TecAccess provides Mentoring and Advisory Services throughout the program

Interview Interview ScheduledScheduled

You Prepare You Prepare Updated Updated ResumeResume

Yes

No

Graduate!

TecAccess seeksTecAccess seeksnew Employernew Employer

TecAccess TecAccess Interview with Interview with

DVET Program DVET Program Manager or Manager or RecruiterRecruiter

Employer Employer Reviews Reviews ResumeResume

EmployerEmployerInterviewInterview

Arranged-YouArranged-Youtravel or they will travel or they will

travel to youtravel to you

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What Makes DVET Work DVET fits into a telecommuting model

that allows participants to:

o work from the “safe” and secure environment of their own home.

o excel in a working environment that accommodates the new needs they have.

Alternatively, DVET helps transition their skills and facilitates accommodation of their special needs in an office setting.

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What Makes DVET Work continued…

Current job training programs fail due to the gap between providing training and having a definite job offer at the end of training.

By contrast, DVET success is measured by the employment of its program graduates in a job with a competitive salary/growth

The DVET collaboration with government and industry is a classic example of matching a supply—veterans with disabilities looking for an exciting career, with a demand—the ever increasing need for

skilled IT professionals.

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Employers Benefit from DVET

Businesses and government agencies working with DVET are receiving highly skilled employees. 

Organizations who hire these newly trained veterans with disabilities are finding that they are:

loyal employees self-motivated intelligent hardworking

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RESULTS DVET is more than a set of training modules

A proven means of transitioning veterans with disabilities from war zones or welfare to high-paying civilian careers with full benefits

Demonstrates commitment from government and corporate America

Is part of creating a veteran-friendly environment

Substantial savings to public assistance programs

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DVET – RESULTS continued…

Personal Stories

Students:

Raymond Kenney – PVA/DVET Liaison

Jonathon Ballard – Project Manager

Horace Booker – Emergency Dispatch Trainer

Instructors:

Rosemary Musachio – Lead Instructor

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DVET Expansion

The DVET model for the State of Virginia can and is being exported for all companies nationwide

Sustainable Model

Easily Transferable

Examples: ManTech and CSC

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Finding a “Win-Win”

Public-private partnerships like DVET can benefit:

o The government organizations that own the problem.

o The veterans with disabilities that need training and employment.

o The companies facing increasing demand for skilled, accessibility and certified IT workers.

www.TecAccess.net19

How To Emulate DVET

Customize for each individual to accommodate various disabilities and modalities of instruction to train veterans anywhere.

Tele-work model.

Assistive technology equipment.

www.TecAccess.net20

Making DVET Work for Others

o Understand the special challenges when training veterans with disabilities for new careers:

Assessing the educational background they bring to training

Knowing the influence of the spouse and/or family on commitment to training

o Understand the factors that lead hiring managers to hesitate about extending job offers

Level of accommodation required

Liability concerns

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Hiring Veterans with Disabilities

Look within your organization for employment opportunities.

Create customized accommodations (which do not have to be expensive).

Highlight their success in your corporate culture and internal/external communications efforts.

www.TecAccess.net22

Provide Support During Transition Know that behavioral health support is

important.

Seek a briefing from outside experts if you are inexperienced with veterans concerns.

Engage your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) early as a member of the support team.

Have HR liaise with veterans organizations in your community.

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Conclusion Using this methodology we all can:

Engage newly disabled veterans early in their rehabilitation process

Reduce the negative impact of disability on their lives.

Give government and industry a solution toward increasing the quality and diversity of their workforce while honoring and supporting veterans for their sacrifice.

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Conclusion Under the DVET model, industry and

government directly give back to Service Disabled Veterans.

At the same time, industry and government receive well trained employees in IT and related fields

Service Disabled Veterans are now becoming integrated back into America’s workforce.

www.TecAccess.net25

Questions

Debra RuhFounder & Chairman Rockville Commerce Center2410 Granite Ridge RoadRockville, VA 23146(804) 749-8646 (804) 749-8897 - [email protected]

“These training and employmentopportunities are far superior to many other programs designed to help persons with disabilities…we fully expect that this program will serve as a model for future programs that will address training and employment for disabled veterans.” 

~~Vincent M. Burgess, Commissioner Department of Veterans Services for

the Commonwealth of Virginia

“These training and employmentopportunities are far superior to many other programs designed to help persons with disabilities…we fully expect that this program will serve as a model for future programs that will address training and employment for disabled veterans.” 

~~Vincent M. Burgess, Commissioner Department of Veterans Services for

the Commonwealth of Virginia