Veterans' Employment Committee

January 23, 2019: 10:00 AM
45 Commerce Dr, Augusta Frances Perkins Room

AGENDA State Workforce Board (SWB) Veterans Employment Committee (VEC) January 23, 2019 (10:00am – 12:30pm) Location: MDOL, Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room Call-In Option: 1-877-455-0244 Code: 9218175360 Jonathan Farr, SWB Chair Welcome and Opening Remarks Jonathan Farr Around the Room Introductions Jonathan Farr/ALL Approval of Meeting Notes from November 28, 2018 Meeting SWB VEC Members Strategic Planning Priorities 2018/2019 – Review Revised Goals from Strategic Planning Session November 2018 – See Notes o MARKETING to Veterans and Employers o EDUCATION – Employers o EDUCATION – Veterans o VETERAN FRIENDLY EMPLOYER AWARD OPTIONS o RAISING AWARENESS OF SWB COMMITTEES w NEW GOVERNOR and ADMINISTRATION o SEEKING FUNDING for SWB COMMITTEES AND SWB SPECIAL INITIATIVES o SWB VEC MEMBERSHIP o OTHER Steve Roy, LVER Maine Hire-A-Vet 2018 Updates/Progress Augusta CareerCenter MHAV Campaign Coordinator All SWB VEC Member Updates All Future Dates for 2019 SWB VEC Meetings, Frances Perkins Room, MDOL January 23, 2019, March 6, 2019, May 22, 2019, July 24, 2019, September 18, 2019 and November 20, 2019 Jonathan Farr Miscellaneous / Adjourn

Meeting Minutes from SWB Veterans Employment Committee MDOL, Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room January 23, 2019 (10:00am – 12:30pm)

Member Attendees:, Mark Cater, Director, Veteran Employment and Strategy, Military Talent Source, Robin Doody, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Northern Light Health, Jen Fullmer, Executive Director, Boots2Roots, SWB VEC Chair, Mike Gray, HVRP Project Coordinator and Military and Veterans Services Director, Easterseals Maine, Darren Henry, Deputy Director, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Debbie Kelly, Maine Director, Veterans Employment and Trainings Services (VETS), David Stearns, President, Dale Carnegie Maine, Joe Tatem, Executive Director, National Guard Employment and Support Program, Fred Webber, Former SWB Chair, Consultant

Guests & Interested Party Attendees: Chaplain COL Andrew Gibson, Director of Deployment Cycle Support, MEARNG, David Richmond, Acting Director, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Amy Line, Coordinator of Veterans’ Services, UMA,

SWB Staff: Cheryl Moran, Labor Program Specialist, State Workforce Board

Staff: Auta Main, MDOL BES Veterans’ Program Manager

Acting SWB VEC Chair, Fred Webber: Welcome & Opening Remarks

Acting SWB VEC Chair, Fred Webber: Round the room introductions.

Acting SWB VEC Chair, Fred Webber: Approval of notes from November 28, 2018.

I. Staff, Auta Main: Overview of SWB VEC Priorities for 2018/2019

*Auta walked through the tables below to highlight priorities selected by SWB VEC members for the year ahead. Edits were made based on SWB VEC member input.

GOALS/PRIORITIES 2018-2019, Primary Contacts for Each

GOAL #1.

Goal/Priority 2018 Status 2019 Status/To Do Assigned To MARKETING
Resource web portal DONE Continue to check-in each meeting. Update as needed. MBVS Dave Richmond, Darren Henry, Sarah Sherman New website for Maine Veterans DONE (Adria, Dave, Laura) Continue to check-in each meeting. Update as needed. MBVS – Dave Richmond, Darren Henry, Sarah Sherman Social media outreach from all SWB VEC partners DONE Needs more discussion – add to meeting agendas All SWB VEC partners – SWB VEC Group Paid advertising/outreach DONE Continue to check-in each meeting about new strategies being used MBVS, MDOL, Easterseals ME, Other Maine Hire-A-Vet DONE Develop website 2019 – continue to check-in each meeting MDOL, Steve Roy & MHAV Partners NEW: Wider partnerships for marketing resources to Vets More … Ideas for expanding outreach Auta Main, Darren Henry, Sarah Sherman NEW: Educate local boards, WIOA providers, CareerCenters RE: increasing WIOA and CSSP veteran enrollment More… Could be under marketing or education. Want to increase enrollment of vets, especially in WIOA programs statewide Auta Main & JVSG Staff NEW: Promote MMCN regional meetings More … Ideas for increasing outreach and visibility of MMCN groups? Leo Deon will lead

GOAL #2.

Goal/Priority 2018 Status 2019 Status/To Do Assigned To EDUCATION -For EMPLOYERS
Military Culture 101 and 202 Both done & Videotaped on YouTube (soon for 202) Continue to check-in each meeting. More Andy Gibson, Auta Main, Steve Roy NEW: Customized Hands-On Training for Employers - Military Culture 303 or different title NEW Outline developed: Military service, culture, ranking, skills, myths, why hire vets, recruitment, DD214, military skills translation, USERRA basics, CareerCenter services, add’l resources Leo Deon, Mark Cafiso, Auta Main, Mike Gray, Andy Gibson, Jon Farr PsychArmor Online Trainings DONE – shared with MHAV employers Continue to check-in each meeting, increase outreach to expand access to ME employers Auta Main, Vet Team, MHAV EDUCATION – For VETERANS
One-on-One process/intake trainings for veterans DONE! SWB VEC members each have training intake process for veterans Check in if needed All SWB VEC members Civilian 101 For Veterans – A one to two-day training focused on assistance with employment services for veterans In the works! A template curriculum has been developed by Dale Carnegie and some SWB members Still a lot of passion to make this happen. The issue has been funding to pay for curriculum and to train the trainers. We’ll definitely revisit in 2019! David Stearns, Mark Cater, Auta Main, Mark Cafiso, Steve Roy, Leo Deon, Joe Tatem and Debbie Kelly NEW: WIOA Enrollment – Increase number of veterans enrolled Worked with Coastal Counties Workforce Board and Goodwill in 2018 to improve enrollment #s of veterans Would like to see a higher % of veteran enrollment in WIOA in 2019. Continue to work with/educate WIOA board and providers statewide Mark Cafiso to take the lead with Auta Main NEW: Financial Literacy for Veterans NEW Explore existing curricula and figure out how to deliver courses (or share info) in person or online Debbie Kelly, Joe Tatem NEW: Checklist for Veteran Friendly Employers NEW What does it mean to be a veteran friendly employer? Creation of a checklist to guide employers Robin Doody, Auta Main

GOAL #3.

Goal/Priority 2018 Status 2019 Status/To Do Assigned To VETERAN FRIENDLY EMPLOYER AWARD OPTIONS Explored in 2018. Didn’t take next steps except for outreach to employers regarding the new USDOL HIRE VETS Medallion Program Compare variety of options and select one or two to move forward with - SWB VEC Vet Friendly Employer Award - HIRE VETS Medallion USDOL - Best Places to Work in Maine – special program for Vets? - Other Auta Main, Cheryl Moran, Debbie Kelly, Mark Cafiso

Mark Cafiso

OTHER

Suggested Other Next Steps and To Dos 2018 Status 2019 Status/To Do Assigned To NEW: Increase visibility of SWB and its committees - HIGHER on RADAR of New Governor and Legislature NEW Introduce/Educate about SWB and Committees to New Governor, Cabinet, Leaders and Legislature Josh Howe and Cheryl Moran and new SWB Director, TBD NEW: Seek Small Amount of FUNDING for SWB VEC NEW Exploring prospective funding for SWB VEC special projects including Civilian 101 and MHAV. Must be laser focused request! All SWB VEC members NEW: Fundraising for SWB VEC Related Initiatives NEW Explore grants and other funding to support the development and roll-out of Civilian 101 for Veterans, MHAV & other. Possibly SWB $ ?? Jon, Easterseals, MDOL, MBVS, NG Employment and Support Program and other partners SWB VEC Membership Ongoing Clean-up. Add/remove members as needed. Possibly more diversity of occupation, of demographic, of businesses. Ongoing. SWB VEC Members

II. Updates & Comments on Each Priority a. Marketing to Veterans and Employers i. Members asked to review the Nancy Marshall Plan developed in 2015 with Nancy Marshall Communications, funded with 10k from SWB funds. Auta will email out to all SWB VEC members. Newer members had never seen this report, which still has relevancy today. ii. Members expressed satisfaction with outreach activity and outcomes, but would like to expand our outreach via mobile aps, a suggestion by COL Andy Gibson, and to consider other outreach strategies. Joshua Howe will follow-up with Sarah Sherman, David Richmond and Andy Gibson regarding next steps around mobile aps. b. Education – Employers i. Very successful round of Military Culture 202 trainings in December 2018 and January 2019. The training was videotaped on January 11, 2019 and will soon be available on YouTube. ii. Discussion about a prospective Military Culture 303 training (possibly rename this). Proposed outline includes: Military service, culture, ranking, skills, myths, why hire vets, recruitment, interview questions specifically designed for veterans, decoding of DD214, military skills translation, USERRA basics, CareerCenter services, and information about additional resources. c. Education – Veterans i. One-day Civilian 101 Training for Veterans seeking employment. A curriculum template is already complete thanks to the efforts of David Stearns, Dale Carnegie Maine and Mark Cater, Military Talent Source. The challenge over the past couple of years has been to find funding to support this important one-day training for veterans. The committee expressed a commitment to moving this forward in the year ahead. Discussion centered around seeking possible funding or other strategies for bringing this training to life. A small group of SWB VEC members will meet prior to our next committee meeting to discuss next steps. d. Education – Veterans i. Financial Literacy for Veterans. How does this fit with SWB VEC? Certainly, if veterans are financially literate, they are less likely to have employment issues stemming from broken down cars/lack of transportation or no power, no heat, or getting behind on their rent or mortgage payments etc. Still – what role can SWB VEC play in assisting veterans with financial challenges? Should we refer them to resources or develop/coordinate an in-person training specifically for veterans? More to be determined. e. Veteran Friendly Employer Award – TBD i. A few members of the SWB VEC committee developed a “Veteran Friendly Employer Award” template in 2016/2017, following the lead of the SWB Older Worker Committee’s very successful award packet and presentation. At the time the MDOL Commissioner felt there was too much active legislation impacting employers – so the time wasn’t right to take next steps. More discussion is needed by the SWB VEC committee, along with a review of current materials. ii. There was also question/concern about when (each year) we should seek applications for the veteran friendly employer award (assuming we opt to move forward), considering our commitment to the Maine Hire-A- Vet Campaign and the USDOL HIRE Vets Medallion Award. f. Raising Awareness of SWB Committees with New Governor and Administration i. Committee members were pleased that the new MDOL Labor Commissioner, Laura Fortman, and Deputy Commissioner, Jane Gilbert, joined us for about 20 minutes for the first SWB VEC meeting of 2019 - a great start to educating the new administration about our work. The hope is that when the new SWB Director is hired, he/she will work quickly to develop a relationship with our new Governor and her leadership team. More to come! g. Seeking Funding for SWB Committees & SWB Special Initiatives i. As mentioned earlier, there is a definite interest in trying to take next steps with a Civilian 101 training for veterans. We are also interested in prospective funding for MHAV activities and other SWB VEC initiatives (to be identified). Members stated that our funding requests need to be laser focused: 1. Succinctly providing a clear overview of the committee’s activities and accomplishments, discussion of special initiatives, that we are in a time of rebuilding and that our services impact different populations of veterans that have unique needs/challenges (i.e. recently separating vets, older vets, younger vets, female vets, vets with disabilities etc.) and more!
h. SWB VEC Membership i. Auta was charged with checking with exiting SWB VEC members and interested parties to see who would like to continue participation (or not) and to update contact information, as appropriate. After the revised list is created, we’ll discuss nominations of new members. The updated list will be shared at the next meeting.

Mark Your Calendars for SWB VEC Meetings 2019 January 23, 2019, March 6, 2019, May 22, 2019, July 24, 2019, September 18, 2019 and November 20, 2019

The meeting adjourned at 12:30pm

Attachments