North Carolina Department of Commerce Celebrates 50th Veterans Employment Conference

The North Carolina Department of Commerce held the 50th annual Veterans Employment Services Training Conference this week in Cherokee. The conference provided professional development for the department’s NCWorks Veterans Services team members, highlighted other programs and organizations serving veterans, and celebrated the state’s longstanding partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment & Training Service (VETS) to support both jobseekers and employers.

“North Carolina’s veterans often face unique struggles as they transition back to civilian life and find employment. We owe them a debt of gratitude, so we must do everything we can to ease that transition, help them access critical services, and connect them with employers,” said Governor Josh Stein. “North Carolina’s businesses need the skills our talented and hardworking veterans have to offer, and our state is enriched by their contributions to our workforce. I am grateful for their service and remain committed to serving North Carolina’s veterans.”

"As we commemorate the 50th Veterans Employment Services Training Conference, we honor the unwavering commitment of our veterans and reaffirm North Carolina's dedication to supporting them,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our NCWorks Veterans Services professionals, all veterans themselves, play a pivotal role in connecting our heroes with meaningful employment opportunities, ensuring their skills continue to enrich our communities and workforce."

The Department of Commerce has 50 NCWorks Veterans Services professionals (all of whom are veterans themselves). Their primary mission is to help their fellow veterans find good jobs and training opportunities, and many staff members focus on partnering with businesses interested in hiring veterans. These professionals are located across the state at NCWorks Career Centers, which serve all jobseekers, including veterans, transitioning service-members and military spouses, while also helping employers meet their talent needs. In many parts of the state, they play a key role as partners in Veterans Treatment Courts. The department also partners with North Carolina For Military Employment (NC4ME) on special hiring events.

“We salute our dedicated veterans representatives, based at NCWorks Career Centers across North Carolina, who support veterans every day through individualized career services and making connections to employers and other partners,” said N.C. Department of Commerce Chief Deputy Secretary Jordan Whichard, who spoke at the conference. “We must engage the skills and talents of all the military veterans in our state, help veteran jobseekers overcome barriers and challenges, and help employers recognize that veterans and military spouses can represent tremendous assets to their organizations.”

While recognizing the milestone of the 50th such gathering, this conference focused on topics such as enhancing collaboration with other veterans programs, mental health, reentry, using emerging technologies, careers in agriculture, and serving Native American Veterans.

“The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NC DMVA) values our strong partnership with the North Carolina Department of Commerce as we continue our commitment to serving the military and veteran communities,” said N.C. DMVA Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette. “The Department is grateful for this relationship that allows us to combine resources to better serve our veterans and their families. When we collaborate, we are stronger and more impactful in our mission to connect veterans and spouses to valuable services. We all know that, when someone serves, the entire family serves.”

The system of federally funded veterans’ employment services has its origins in 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Wagner-Peyser Act, which included a program to help veterans find employment. Congress significantly expanded the program in the 1970s to help returning Vietnam War veterans. As federal requirements changed to require states to conduct annual conferences, North Carolina held its first veterans employment training conference in 1975 in Goldsboro, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. At that time, the North Carolina Employment Security Commission (ESC) housed the veterans employment program. Today, the program is part of the Division of Workforce Solutions (DWS) at the Department of Commerce.

As part of this year’s conference, several NCWorks Career Center-based professionals received special awards for excellence. These included:

• The DAV Chapter 45 Award, presented to Rory Springs and Zachary Branch, both of Goldsboro, by a local Disabled American Veterans chapter in recognition of their work supporting veterans in the Goldsboro area;
• The Innovation Award, presented to Andrew Holland of Wilkes County, Saul McCloyen of Raleigh, and Walter Gillispie of Charlotte, in recognition of staff who have demonstrated exceptional creativity and originality in their work;
• The Innovation in Veterans Services Award, presented to Lilibeth Howell of Fayetteville, in celebration of creativity and innovation in the development of programs, services, or initiatives that address the unique needs of veterans;
• The Social Media “Influencer of the Year” Award, presented to Reeshema Walker of New Bern, manager of the NCWorks Career Center - Craven County, for effectively utilizing social media platforms to inspire, educate and advocate;
• The Community Partnership Award, presented to Paul Escamilla of Sanford, Leon Grimes of Lumberton and Gerard Ball of Waynesville, for their successful collaborations with community partners, veteran service organizations, and employers to enhance career opportunities and support for veterans; and
• The Resilience Recognition Award, presented to Alexis Davis of Elizabeth City, Randy Silver of Clayton, Saul McCloyen of Raleigh and Lamarris Williams of Winston-Salem, in recognition of staff members who have faced significant challenges and increased responsibilities, yet remained steadfast in their mission.

Veterans, transitioning service-members and military spouses are encouraged to reach out to an NCWorks Career Center for more information about available programs and services. All centers provide “priority of service” to military veterans and eligible spouses. While services are open to all, the veterans representatives at career centers provide one-on-one services to those veterans who are most in need and face significant barriers that make it difficult for them to find suitable employment.

Contact information for each career center can be found at www.NCWorks.gov. In addition, veterans and employers can access services through the NCWorks Veterans Portal at veterans.ncworks.gov.

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NCWorks Veterans Services are supported by the Jobs for Veterans State Grant from the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) of the U.S. Department of Labor as part of an award to North Carolina totaling $5,703,016, with 0% financed from non-governmental sources.