Q&A
Creating a citywide veteran employment program
1:37:37
ยท
4 min
Council Member Robert Holden and VAB members discuss recommendations for creating a citywide veteran employment program and improving employment opportunities for veterans in NYC.
- VAB suggested creating a citywide veteran employment program and making veterans a protected class for hiring preferences
- The discussion highlighted the need for city agencies to actively recruit veterans and connect with organizations that help veterans transition to civilian jobs
- Suggestions included working with unions for apprenticeship programs and giving priority to veterans in various sectors
- The importance of communicating with private sector companies to consider veteran hiring preferences was emphasized
Claire Barker
1:37:37
Well, I
Mercedes Elias
1:37:37
think for the city council, that first barrier to just getting them as a protected class, I think directly the DVS and VAB can work together because we are aware of those organizations that are working to get veterans into skilled labor jobs, into computer IT jobs.
1:37:53
There are a lot of organizations that between both of our collective energies, we can get connected to the city agencies.
1:37:59
We just need them to get that preference to know that they're going to be able to be employed by the city and then what Yeah.
1:38:05
Getting a preference.
1:38:06
But That's it.
Robert Holden
1:38:07
And again, to be specific, like, that would be nice if we can get a preference in in certain I'm I'm not sure we're gonna get every
UNKNOWN
1:38:14
Mhmm.
Robert Holden
1:38:15
Every, employment, every job description on the on the priority list.
1:38:20
But let's say, where do we start?
1:38:23
Like, what veterans coming out of the service, what are they most good at?
1:38:27
What are they, you know, like, they're better, at at certain skills.
Mercedes Elias
1:38:32
It's really And then
Robert Holden
1:38:33
are they better in leadership?
1:38:35
Are they
Mercedes Elias
1:38:35
Here's the thing, it it goes across industry, across skill sets, across all sorts of jobs.
1:38:40
Because just because somebody did a job in the military doesn't even mean that they wanna do that job in the civilian sector.
1:38:46
What we're saying is that there are organizations that have helmets to hard hats, you know, helmets to education.
1:38:52
The the city needs to get connected to those agencies because right now, New York City is not known as a place where veterans can transition, get gainful employment, and also afford to live.
1:39:02
So just making sure that those city agencies are aware, but the city agencies have to be on board with actively wanting to recruit veterans.
1:39:10
And that's where we need advocacy to tell us.
1:39:12
Yeah.
Robert Holden
1:39:12
We talked about we talked about with some of the unions, because in Long Island City, there's a lot of unions that have workshops and they have, apprenticeship programs.
1:39:21
So So I would think that's a good start.
1:39:24
That's what I would recommend that we saw with apprenticeship programs and give our priority to veterans where they can get the training.
1:39:33
And, you know, when I visited some of these, some of the union shops, they did have a preference.
1:39:40
They said, well, we'd love to have veterans come in because they many are are already skilled at at certain aspects of just life rather than than than young people coming out of high school, where these veterans are actually, they have a discipline already, they have, they have training, they have a work ethic.
1:39:59
So, that would be a, a plus and that's how you could, we could sell it to, employers but certainly to unions too.
1:40:07
So I think that's where we could start.
Ryan Graham
1:40:09
Yeah.
1:40:10
I just have to throw in there, Mercedes mentioned helmets to hard hats.
Robert Holden
1:40:14
It's a
Ryan Graham
1:40:14
perfect example, Local 3.
1:40:16
They have veterans club out of the Bell Rose VFW, and those guys are really big.
1:40:21
They run their numbers.
1:40:23
So it's it it what what I've noticed, it really comes down to the grassroots level, VSOs especially.
1:40:31
But yeah.
1:40:32
And and not only that, say in the, if you're going into that sector, say say you might go into finance, Mercedes might know more about this.
1:40:40
I believe there's, what, Veterans on Wall Street.
1:40:43
And there's another one.
1:40:44
I can't remember what
Robert Holden
1:40:44
it is.
Ryan Graham
1:40:45
Corporate Partners.
Claire Barker
1:40:46
American Corporate Partners.
Ryan Graham
1:40:47
American Corporate Partners.
1:40:48
So there's there's the resources out there.
1:40:50
It's just getting, communication.
Robert Holden
1:40:53
Exactly.
1:40:54
Yeah.
1:40:54
But we we should, again, we if we reach out to the private sector and and say, do would, you know, would would they consider a program, to give preferences to veterans in hiring?
1:41:07
I mean, that should that should be I think most companies would agree to that.
1:41:10
We just have to facilitate it.
1:41:12
So I think, that was one of your recommendations, which, now we need to act on it.
Mercedes Elias
1:41:19
We just need help on the city side.
1:41:20
We just need help with the government agencies on the city side
Robert Holden
1:41:23
You have.
Mercedes Elias
1:41:23
To be a little bit
Ashton Stewart
1:41:24
more open.
Robert Holden
1:41:25
Alright.
1:41:26
So which, which agencies are doing this, by the way?
1:41:29
Do you know off the top of your head?
Mercedes Elias
1:41:30
Which ones aren't
Robert Holden
1:41:31
Our preferences for hiring
Mercedes Elias
1:41:33
MTA.
1:41:33
MTA is a preference for hiring.
1:41:35
I think also the bridge and tunnel.
Ryan Graham
1:41:37
MTA?
1:41:38
Oh,
Mercedes Elias
1:41:38
there's no
Vickie Paladino
1:41:39
no.
1:41:39
That's
James Hendon
1:41:39
different.
1:41:40
Yep.
Mercedes Elias
1:41:42
Those are the ones that we know about just Yeah.
1:41:44
Off the top of our head.
Robert Holden
1:41:45
Well, we'll we'll try to again, that should be a point of a hearing from this committee.