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Veterans Employment Committee
June 10, 2015: 9:30 AMTBA for information contact Auta Main auta.m.main@maine.gov
AGENDA State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) Veterans Employment Committee (VEC) June 10, 2015 (10:00am ? 12:00pm) Location: MDOL, Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room Call-In Line: 1-877-455-0244 Code: 8234977613 Steve Wallace, Chair Welcome and Opening Remarks Steve Wallace Around the Room Introductions Steve Wallace/ALL Approval of Meeting Notes from April 1st, 2015 Meeting Whitney Moreau SWIB VEC Marshall Plan - Overview AND Nancy Marshall - REVIEW of Sections of Plan Communications? Team - Additional feedback/direction SWIB VEC Members Short Updates Auta Main Dates for 2015 SWIB VEC Meetings Meeting Dates, Wednesdays, 10am ? 12:30pm, Location TBD 2015: July 15, Sept 16, Nov 18 Steve Wallace Miscellaneous / Adjourn
Meeting Minutes from SWIB Veterans Employment Committee MDOL, Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room 10 June 2015, 10:00am ? 12:00pm
Member Attendees: Bob Traill, Bonney Staffing, Debbie Kelly, Maine Director, VETS, Nathaniel Grace, Community Liaison, MMCN, Joseph Sousa, Executive Director, ESGR Maine Committee, Fred Webber, SWIB Board Chair, Larry Duquette, Community Employment Coordinator, Togus VA, Bob Carr, Director, Technological Innovations, LLC, David Stearns, President, Dale Carnegie Maine
Guests & Interested Party Attendees: Chuck Bates, HR, General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems, COL Andrew Gibson, Director of Deployment Cycle Services, ME ARNG, William Burney, State Director, HUD, Carolyn Cutting, Regional Manager, Veterans Inc., Adria Horn, Director, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Mark Cater, LVER, Lewiston CareerCenter, Corey Gray, Dale Carnegie Maine, Bill Fox, RVCP Program Manager, MDOL, Margaret O?Connell, Director of Senior Services, Volunteers of America, Whitney Moreau and Jen Boes, Nancy Marshall Communications.
Staff: Auta Main, MDOL BES Veterans Program Manager and Cheryl Moran, SWIB Coordinator, MDOL
Agenda and Discussion Topics:
Acting Chair ? Fred Webber: Welcome and Opening Remarks • Fred opened the meeting with round the room introductions.
Acting Chair ? Fred Webber: Approval of Meeting Notes from April 1, 2015.
Acting Chair ? Fred Webber: Introduction/Nancy Marshall Communications Staff & the SWIB VEC Marshall Plan
• Guest: Whitney Moreau and Jen Boes, Nancy Marshall Communications
▪ Jen Boes led the discussion, summarized steps to date and discussed their motivation for meeting with us mid-term vs waiting for final report. SWIB VEC feedback below:
? Would like to see more suggestions for reaching out to Maine employers/a greater emphasis in general on employers would be good.
? Like the tactic of ?branding.? Would like to see a video of employer testimonials
? Broaden the terminology from veteran to SMVF; Service Members, Veterans and their Families
? Veteran can be limiting term as many don?t see themselves as veterans even when they are. Let?s be as inclusive as possible.
? Younger vets are often discouraged when they see requirements for certain jobs. They think they may not be qualified. How can we improve our messaging to pull in more younger veterans (SMVF)?
? How can we ?weight? our message so that family members hear it too and they let their spouses and children know about these openings?
? Let?s remember that a significant number of older veterans are still working and looking for jobs ? not all have retired yet!
? I wonder if we are trying to be all things to all people? Should we try to limit our outreach and messaging?
? Skills mismatch continues to be an issue. Older workers have trade skills but may now have physical limitations. Younger workers have no physical limitations but do not have the trade skills. More training is needed.
? Many vets not willing to travel more than 50 miles outside of home area. Hurts companies, like Cianbro, for example who are paying well but asking workers to travel out of state or into Canada during the week.
? Dealing with a complex group of issues. Goal is to build a formula that works, with a focus on high wage in demand jobs.
? We could consider measures of performance and measures of success
? RVCP goals are similar to the Veteran Outreach Campaign objectives. RVCP staff can take the lead on many of these proposed strategies. Outreach funding from the grant can assist.
? Need to increase our outreach activity in the social media arena. Pages 17 and 18 propose suggestions.
• Nancy Marshall Communications Team, Jen and Whitney, will revise the SWIB VEC Marshall Plan based on today?s input and deliver the final copy to SWIB VEC before the July 15 meeting.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR 2015
Meeting Dates, Wednesdays, 10am ? 12:30pm, Location TBD
2015: July 15, September 16/Postponed to Oct Date TBD, November 18
Attachments