On Nov. 9, Iowa Workforce Development announced a new partnership to help Iowa businesses expand their workforce by hiring skilled military service members who are transitioning to civilian life.
Recently, IWD was approved as a third-party administrator for the U.S. Defense Department’s SkillBridge program, a national initiative that allows service members to engage in internships at private businesses during the last six months of their tours of duty. SkillBridge was created to help transitioning service members find fulfilling careers in civilian life.
With the new relationship, Iowa businesses can now bypass the Defense Department process and work directly with IWD to start the program at their companies.
“Iowa employers are always looking for hardworking, mission-driven employees who know how to get a job done,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Veterans are a perfect match for our state’s work ethic and hardworking culture. SkillBridge is another tool we can use to recruit those service members to Iowa and show them firsthand the opportunities that come with living and working in a state where you have the freedom to flourish.”
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, 200,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces leave active military service every year from over 140 national and international military installations.
Program benefits both veterans, employers
Under the program, the Defense Department will pay service members’ salary and benefits for six months while the person receives on-the-job training at a private employer. Employers have the opportunity to train and assess a potential employee without incurring any expenses or obligations. The training programs must adhere to Defense Department guidelines, and the approval process, now facilitated by Iowa Workforce Development, is a key aspect of the new collaboration.
On the SkillBridge website, 37 Iowa job opportunities for service members are being advertised, with some employers already training veterans.
“Our goal is to significantly expand SkillBridge in Iowa by making it easier than ever for Iowa companies to take part in it,” said Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development. “We want every Iowa employer to know about this program, how IWD can help them get started, and how they ultimately can find quality talent by hiring people who are leaving military service.”
Joe Murphy, president of the Iowa Business Council, said the organization is “thrilled to have IWD be a third-party administrator of the SkillBridge program.”
“Having a strategic workforce program like SkillBridge to attract and retain military service members is an incredible opportunity for our state,” Mr. Murphy said. “As we all know, hiring a military person or Veteran provides invaluable advantages for companies of every size and will lead to further talent development opportunities for Iowa. We were proud to be an early partner with IWD in the SkillBridge project, and our members stand ready to expand our partnership as we collectively implement the program.”
Apart from its administrative duties, IWD will engage in SkillBridge as an employer, and collaborate with other state agencies to support their efforts in hiring transitioning service members.
There will be a virtual Lunch & Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, for those wanting to learn more.
The new SkillBridge partnership is one of many ongoing efforts by IWD to ease the path for Veterans and transitioning service members and make it easier for them to find new careers in Iowa. The list includes:
- Home Base Iowa, which works to attract Veterans and their families to Iowa by providing one-on-one career assistance and connecting transitioning service members to special incentives provided by more than 125 HBI communities.
- IowaWorksforVeterans.gov, a new web portal launched earlier this year to provide a smoother entry point for Veterans into the IowaWORKS job bank and a variety of career assistance available there.
- PsychArmor, a program that recently partnered with Home Base Iowa to launch a Business Training Program that helps employers understand military culture.
For more information, visit IWD’s SkillBridge Information page.
