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Best Reasons to Become a Security Guard Today there are a lot of different job options out there. However, one that you might not have considered is the job of a security guard. Many businesses need security, including: local businesses, casinos, hospitals, banks, bars, airports, stores, retirement homes, and more. Hiring security guards to help protect their assets can be very important when these businesses have thousands of dollars of equipment or product at their location. Depending on what type of business you end up working with you will have a wide variety of tasks as a security guard. This is why it is important to be familiar with both local and state security regulations and laws.  Being a security guard can be a very fulfilling position to work as. Here are some of the top reasons that you might want to consider training to be a security guard.   1. Low barrier of entry: one of the best things about getting a job as a security guard is that it does not take long to complete the necessary training. Instead of years of education you will simply need to complete an 8 or 16 hour course about basic security. There are more options as you go along for training to increase your pay; but the fact that you can start right away is great.  2. Good stepping stone to future career: once you have secured your position as a security guard you can use it to advance your career. Whether you plan for a job in law enforcement or are simply using it as a quick job to get in order to pay your way through college, being a security guard is a fun and fulfilling job. 3. Responsibility with little supervision: it is your job to protect the business that you are assigned to. More than likely you will not have a supervisor around throughout your shift. So if you like to be personally accountable for the work that you do then a security guard position would be perfect for you. 4. You get to protect people and property: beyond the obvious benefits of the job as a security guard you are also responsible for protecting the people and property of your company. This means that you can take pride in your work and in the knowledge that people are depending on you. Satisfaction at work will make your career much more enjoyable. 5. Security experience is a dependable fallback option: no matter what you decide to do with your life you will always have your experience as a security guard to depend on. At any point you can easily renew your security license and get a job. It is a skill that you will keep for the rest of your life.  According to Jackie Paulson, a Chicago area security officer “It’s [security guard] a great stepping stone job to get to where you want to go in your career.” So what do you think? Is security guard the job for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
American Petroleum Institute’s Vets4Energy campaign has launched an initiative to help veterans connect with companies in the oil and natural gas industry. Vets can use the new Veterans Energy Pipeline website to translate their job skills from the military into the oil and gas industry. For example, you select your branch of service and your military occupation, and the website will show you which civilian jobs are similar. Employers can also use the site to find veterans with the skills they’re seeking. Don Loren, retired rear admiral and the national liaison for Vets4Energy, said the group aims to spur discussion about energy policies, which are linked to national security. He said a significant element of national security is veteran employment. “What better way to promote a sound oil and natural gas energy industry than to incorporate these skills and experiences into that environment,” Loren said. With the United States and other countries trying to move away from fossil fuels, however, there are concerns over whether this is a secure industry for veterans in years to come. “I know there’s a lot of conversation taking place out there right now,” said Jack Gerard, API president and CEO. “By 2040, 2050, 60 percent of the energy the U.S. uses will be oil and natural gas. “If you want a long-term opportunity in an industry, look at these industries that are fundamentally the backbone of our society,” he said.   To read full story CLICK HERE Credit Charlsy Panzino, Military Times
OLYMPIA – Washington state is urging businesses to say “yes” to the state’s veterans when filling open positions. The YesVets pilot project will start in Klickitat, Kittitas, Skamania, and Yakima counties this month—and employers across the state may be able to participate by early summer. Employers who hire a veteran will be recognized with a YesVets window decal they can display at their business to demonstrate support for America’s service members. They will be recognized each year with annual decals that can be displayed next to the YesVets decal. Employers who wish to participate in the pilot project should visit http://www.yesvets.org to sign up. Background Rep. Gina McCabe, R-Goldendale, developed the idea after she met with veterans early in the 2015 legislative session. “I was surprised to learn these veterans were having difficulty finding jobs to support their families after leaving military service,” said McCabe, who owns several small businesses herself. “Serving in the military provides our veterans with a strong work ethic, a diverse skillset and the ability to work well in teams.” McCabe sponsored House Bill 2040 to encourage businesses to hire veterans and to improve the veteran employment rate overall. The bill passed both legislative chambers and was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee in late April. YesVets initiative  Inslee’s Employment Security Department, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Commerce worked together to turn McCabe’s vision into a pilot project—and they hope to expand statewide in June. “Hiring a veteran is good for our state’s businesses and good for our country,” said Inslee, who has made improving veteran employment rates a primary goal for his administration. “We hope YesVets will increase the number of veterans who find great jobs, and also encourage returning veterans to consider starting their own veteran-owned business,” said Alfie Alvarado, director of the state’s Department of Veteran Affairs. “We have skilled local veterans employment representatives in every community, helping our state’s veterans find great jobs every day,” said Dale Peinecke, Commissioner of the state’s Employment Security Department, a partner in the WorkSource system. “Veterans who come into our WorkSource offices work with staff who are also veterans and who understand the skills and abilities they bring to the workforce.” "Commerce is committed to the success of our state’s economy, and that includes ensuring we have the talented workforce to meet industry’s needs, today and into the future,” said Brian Bonlender, Director of the state Department of Commerce. “We know that hiring veterans is a great way to tap an already skilled talent pool and to retain a diverse labor force in our state.  That’s why we are proud to partner with ESD and WDVA on this effort.” Contacts:   Janelle Guthrie, ESD Communications Director, (360) 902-9289                  Heidi Audette, WDVA Communications Director, (360) 725-2154                  Barbara Dunn, Commerce Communications Director, (360) 725-2805                                                                        ###   To read more on this information Click Here
Last week, 46 U.S. veterans graduated from a trade school program in San Diego with not just a diploma in hand, but jobs awaiting them in advanced manufacturing. The newly minted CNC machinists, CAD/CAM programmers and welders made up the largest graduating class yet at Workshops for Warriors, a nonprofit that provides a free 16-month training program in welding and fabrication for veterans transitioning into civilian life. Graduates are placed at manufacturing companies large and small--many of them right in San Diego, a manufacturing hub where their skills are in high demand. RELATED How Veterans Get the Job Done in ManufacturingFord Partners with Girls Who Code on STE Since its founding, Workshops for Warriors has placed all of its graduates in jobs with starting salaries typically around $50,000. Even those who complete only part of the program often land skilled jobs that pay a living wage, says founder Hernàn Luis y Prado, a veteran himself. Prado served 15 years in the Navy, with combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Seeing more of his fellow service members “die of suicide and drugs in San Diego … than bombs and bullets in Baghdad” compelled him to start the organization in 2008. “If we want to help veterans, we need to have a secure civilian path that they can be trained into,” Prado said in a statement on the organization's website. Most students in the program are post 9/11 veterans, ranging in age from 22 to 35 and transitioning out of the armed forces sooner than they expected due to military drawdowns or major injuries. In San Diego alone, more than 40,000 veterans transition out of service each year. Students can earn credentials from industry organizations including the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Mastercam University (computer-aided manufacturing), SolidWorks (computer-aided design) and the American Welding Society.  Since 2011, 238 veterans have been trained on-site in the program, receiving close to 600 third-party nationally recognized credentials.   Workshop for Warriors’ next 16-month session begins January 4. Students choose either the welding or machining track, training on a long list of up-to-date equipment. Courses include computer-aided design, machinery repair and maintenance, CNC and manual machining and turning, and welding and fabrication.
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From the LA Times:  Chris Tilly, an economist who directs the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment A White House initiative known as Joining Forces announced this year that it had secured new commitments from the private sector to hire or train 90,000 veterans and military spouses, in addition to 100,000 already brought on board. "There aren't a million veterans to hire." High veteran unemployment, once rampant among those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, appears to be a thing of the past, based on data from the Labor Department. Phillip Carter, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security, said the most important contribution of the hiring campaigns may be their underlying message: Most veterans are not the damaged people that many Americans imagine but valuable members of the workforce. "It's good PR to say you're hiring veterans," said Chris Tilly, an economist who directs the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment. Full story click here
Programs Designed to Help Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans Develop New Skills and Credentials WASHINGTON –  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today launched two new no-cost training programs, Accelerated Learning Programs (ALPs) and VA Learning Hubs, to help transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans from all eras learn skills, earn credentials, and advance in civilian careers following separation from service.  ALPs and Learning Hubs are part of VA’s Veterans Economic Communities Initiative (VECI), promoting education and employment opportunities for Veterans through integrated networks of support in 50 cities. VA launched the VECI program in response to President Obama’s August 2014 challenge to help Veterans and families integrate with their communities and find meaningful jobs that can lead to economic success. Under VA Secretary Robert McDonald’sMyVA transformation, VECI is now in place in cities across the United States. “My message to transitioning Servicemembers is simple: Plan early and stay engaged, because transition is the mission,” said McDonald. “These two new resources provide no-cost opportunities for our transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans to learn new skills and earn credentials, which can increase their competitiveness during their transition.” ALPs offer transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans the opportunity to build on their world-class training and technical skills gained through their military service, and earn certifications in high-demand fields. VA is piloting ALPs this summer with seven courses focusing on building skills and certifications needed to advance in high-demand careers in information technology (IT), as part of the President’s TechHire initiative. Each ALP course is offered at no cost and includes free referral and support services..  The first ALP cohort includes seven courses covering a range of IT-related topics, including: ·                Coding/Programming Boot Camps; ·                80+ IT Certifications in Hardware, Software, Networking, Web Services, and more; ·                Network Support Engineer Job Training and Certification; ·                Cybersecurity Training and Certification; ·                IT Help Desk Job Training; and ·                IT Boot Camps for Desktop Support and Windows Expertise. Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans from any era are invited to apply to their choice of courses. Applications will be accepted starting August 17, 2015 – seats in the pilot cohort are limited; applicants are encouraged to apply early. ALPs do not involve use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill..  Students are able to participate in these programs while also pursuing other programs of study using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Visit the ALP website to learn more about each program and apply. VA is also launching Learning Hubs in 27 cities across the country this year in partnership with the American Red Cross, The Mission Continues and Coursera, an online education platform. Transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans can take advantage of both online and in-person study. Each week, online course modules will be completed outside the classroom while class sessions, led by Learning Hub facilitators, provide opportunities to discuss course materials with peers, hear from subject matter experts, and network. Upon completion of the program, Servicemembers and Veterans may elect to receive one free verified certificate issued by Coursera.   For more information about the VECI or to learn more about VA ALPs and Learning Hubs, contact VeteranEmployment.vbaco@va.gov.
By Valerie Sweeten, Jobs Correspondent Military veterans are some of the best trained personnel, with skills able to translate to nearly any workplace. Companies in all industries are recruiting veterans, while military organizations and resources are hosting job fairs, assisting with resumes and translating skill sets. Some of the most popular jobs for vets include engineer, information technology professional, police officer, project manager, math/science teacher, entrepreneur, mechanic, sales representative and civilian public service. The Occupational Safety Councils of America (OSCA) is a safety council that is providing training dislocated workers, especially veterans, and transitioning service members through grants and community partnerships in an effort to help them transition into employment in the construction and petrochemical industries. Qualities that make veterans appealing are wide and varied, especially when it comes to safety and continued production at plants. "Veterans address two issues for employers," said Lydia E. Chavez-Garcia, business development, OSCA. "The first is the decline in standard basic soft skills in the human resource pool. For example, coming to work regularly, showing up on time and ability to follow directions. The second issue is positions in this industry require working in adverse environments such as extreme heights and weather conditions, confined spaces and dealing with hazardous conditions. Veterans have experienced these types of conditions and are cognizant of how to adapt during these types of environments." Connecting with veterans is important to OSCA, with its job recruiters being veterans themselves. By having this in place, OSCA can better understand how to transfer those military skills to industry and how to review and translate a DD 214 (or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), for other positions held that may be relevant to what they're trying to fill. "Nearly all of our staff members are veterans and all of our staff are immersed in the local/national military and veteran community. We collaborate and attend veteran resource events, job fairs, and our local military installations," Chavez-Garcia said. Margaret Moellenberndt, human resources supervisor with Fluor, said it is actively recruiting both in the craft and staff sectors. The range of skill sets presented by the military is what makes them attractive as employees. "The work Fluor does both in our offices and on our projects requires our employees to give 100 percent. They have to be able to turn out strong, quality work," Moellenberndt said. Opportunities are available in many of the global home offices and project sites around the world. These can range from carpenters to electricians, welders, craft supervision, contracts/project managers, engineers, health, safety and environmental professionals and quality specialists. "Construction is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation," Moellenberndt said. "Military personnel bring an exceptional skill set to the employer. They are dedicated, pay close attention to detail and are accustomed to doing great work under tight deadlines. Our projects can also be in remote locations, something with which a veteran may have experience." It also has developed a skills crosswalk on the website that matches military skills with open positions. Its outreach extends to military-specific job fairs including the Hiring Our Heroes events and work with transition offices regarding various opportunities. Federal help In addition, the Internal Revenue Service is lending a hand with offering the newly expanded tax credit for companies hiring veterans. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 is able to provide an expanded Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) for businesses hiring unemployed eligible veterans. This is the first time the tax credit is also available to certain tax-exempt organizations. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit offers incentives up to $5,600 for hiring unemployed veterans. The Wounded Warriors Tax Credit is able to double the existing WOTC up to $9,600 for long-term unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities.   For job fairs, vets can go to www.military.com/veteran-jobs/career-advice/job-hunting/upcoming-job-fairs.html.  
From Veteran News Now Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. They hold themselves to a higher standard, both in the products they deliver and in the way they conduct themselves throughout the entire customer experience. Because, after all, they are in the business of securing a great deal more than just their place in the market. The mission is to be at the forefront of technology and innovation, delivering superior capability in tandem with maximized cost efficiency. The security solutions they provide help secure freedoms for the nation as well as those of our allies. Squarely meeting obligations, fiscally and technologically, isn’t just a business goal, but a moral imperative. To that end, as Northrop evolves as a company, the responsibility they feel for their country and the citizens and troops they help support grows with them. ​ Northrop employs thousands of veterans worldwide and is committed to hiring and assisting military-experienced candidates and employees. Veterans bring a unique set of skills to their company, and have a first-hand appreciation for their business, products, and services. They value the training and leadership development that candidates gain from their military service and experience. Click Here To View And Apply To All Of Northrop Grumman’s Available Job Opportunities!