Veterans' Employment Committee

July 27, 2016: 9:00 AM
Frances Perkins Rm, MDOL Commerce Drive, Augusta

Meeting Minutes from SWB Veterans Employment Committee ? Mini Strategic Planning Session MDOL, Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room 27 July 2016, 9:00am ? 12:00pm

Member Attendees: Bob Carr, Director, Technologic Innovations LLC., Mark Cater, LVER, Lewiston CareerCenter, Leo Deon, Universal Service Associate, Veterans Inc., Jon Farr, Recruiter T-Mobile Maine, Adria Horn, Director, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Jeremy Kendall, Director of Military and Vets, Easter Seals Maine, Keri Karsten, Universal Service Associate, Veterans Inc., George O?Keefe, Intelligence Analyst, Maine Army National Guard, Steven Roy, LVER, Augusta CareerCenter, Dave Stearns, President, Dale Carnegie Maine

Guests & Interested Party Attendees: Kyra Darling, Augusta FAC Specialist, Military Family Assistance Center, Holly Fleming, Employer Outreach & Peer Support, RVCP, MDOL, William Hurley, Program Manager, RVCP Program, MDOL, Cheryl Moran, Labor Program Specialist, SWB Staff: Auta Main, MDOL BES Veterans Program Manager

Agenda and Discussion Topics:

SWB VEC Chair, Jonathan Farr: Welcome & Opening Remarks, SWB VEC Chair, Jon Farr

SWB VEC Chair, Jon Farr: Round the room introductions.

SWB VEC Chair, Jon Farr: Approval of notes from May 18, 2016.

MDOL Staff ? Auta Main: Intro Sam MacKeeman, State of Maine HR DAFS Facilitator, SWB VEC Strategic Planning Goal: Work together to develop 2-3 priorities for year ahead

? Mini Strategic Planning Process ? Sam introduced his intent in leading the SWB VEC Mini Strategic Planning Process. He will use the Nominal Gap Technique ? Expanding into the Realm of Possibility ◦ Hope is the plausibility of the possible rather than the likelihood of the probable. ◦ QUESTION. What projects should the SWB VEC undertake which would have the most impact on Veterans Employment? ▪ Increase membership with private business ▪ Connect vet start-ups with each other ▪ Establish vet apprenticeship programs at Brunswick Landing ▪ Collaborate with other veteran committees ▪ Provide more education for employers ? Military Culture 101 ▪ Provide more education for veterans i.e. ?Demilitarization for Vets? or Civilian Employment 101 ▪ Awards for employers who hire veteran similar to Silver Collar Award for Older Workers / provides employers with recognition for doing the right thing and assists veterans in employment opportunities. ▪ Database of all veterans who are separating countrywide distributed to Maine (and all states). ▪ Database of all DD214s countrywide, giving separating veterans the opportunity to SHARE / Elect to share with employers and resources ▪ Drive vets to new MBVS website and portal ▪ Marketing CareerCenters better/make access easier ▪ SWB VEC facilitate access to vet reps especially in new system ▪ Increase collaboration with public transportation providers ▪ Outreach to veterans beyond the web portal ▪ Improve outreach to rural Maine, specifically Northern Maine ▪ Goals to eliminate homelessness ▪ Accentuate the positive / create videos to add to portal and MDOL web pages ▪ Establish veteran internships (as opposed to apprenticeships) / EWI Edison Welding Institute ? manufacturing composites technology, 3D printing, composite technology center, vets can learn highest skills in tech place (EWI), good for entrepreneurs. This is being done in Buffalo and Detroit very successfully ? Bob Carr ? Possibly add to Chamber Internships for Veterans, too? ▪ Develop collaboration with media and/or one media spokesperson to join SWB VEC? ? Ask students to assist with development of short video success stories to add to MBVS and MDOL websites?
? Speak on Bill Green?s Maine and 207 and other venues ▪ Do more with social media ? take a class?

? SELECTED PRIORITES 2016/2017 SWB VEC (Marketing/Education/Other) ▪ 1. Marketing ? Drive vets to MBVS web portal ? Laura and Adria doing this now. Adria/Laura to provide a list of what strategies they are currently working on. What more can we do? ? Market CareerCenters ? Outreach beyond portal ? Better use of social media ? training from Tim Sardano, Nancy Marshall Communication, Amy (Easter Seals?) ? Accentuate positive ? Create videos (interns?) for portal and other websites

▪ 2. Education ? Employers / Military Culture 101 (in person and online video) / also Bill?s PPT/RVCP ? Auta and Steve Roy to lead Employer Outreach / Bill to provide PPT presentation of his slides and SWB VEC to watch part of Military Culture 101 Video ◦ Release video on larger scale/Present on larger scale ▪ Chamber breakfasts (Eggs & Issues) and HR Conference (May) ? Easter Seals is scheduled to share Vets Count info at a Chamber Eggs and Issues in Portland ? Can the PARTNERS in MHAV and/or SWB VEC plan to do some of these together?
? Civilian Employment 101 / Demilitarize Veterans ? Keri and Mark offered to take next steps with this. Dave Stearns, Dale Carnegie already has an outline he can share with Keri and Mark for review only. Is it possible to condense David?s Dale Carnegie training for Veterans from 4 days to 1 day? Who pays for what? David, Keri and Mark to meet to begin discussion. ? Internships / Bob Carr to lead this effort

3. Possible Smaller Projects for year ahead ? Add more private business members to SWB VEC ? Veteran Friendly Employer Award

November 16, 2016 Meeting Agenda Items ? SWB VEC PRIORITIES FOLLOW-UP • Updates on progress • MARKETING ? Adria and Laura / strategies to drive veterans to web portal / other • MARKETING ? Review bullets / what next steps can we take for next meeting? • EDUCATION: Employer ? Military Culture 101 ? Show Part 1 of Online Video & Bill Hurley to present a 15 minute version of his abridged Military Culture 101 PPT • EDUCATION: Veteran ? Civilian Employment 101 ? Keri, Mark and David to present thoughts/suggestions about Dale Carnegie?s Civilian 101 for Veterans. Can it be shortened? How can we pay for it so we can all begin to use it or not?
• EDUCATION: Internships ? Bob Carr to provide update • EDUCATION: Imbedding Military Culture (Recruiting, Hiring, Retaining) at a Business ? Jonathan Farr, T-Mobile Countrywide.

? MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SWIB VEC MEETINGS 2017 ? Jan 11, 2017 ? Mar 8, 2017 ? May 10, 2017 ? July 12, 2017 ? Sept 13, 2017 ? Nov 8, 2017

The meeting adjourned at 12:00pm

Attachments