State offers services to help unemployed vets find a job.

Over the last three years, thousands of Maine National Guard members and Reservists have been called up to active-duty service. In serving their country, they have left behind their families and friends, their normal routines and their jobs.

There are laws protecting employment for reservists in active-duty service, but for a variety of reasons many soldiers are returning home to the challenge of having to find new work. A telling sign of the problem is the doubling of unemployment claims by veterans since the conflict began in the Middle East.

Service in the military is deeply rooted in the traditions of many Mane families. Nearly 150,000 veterans live in our state, and they comprise a significant portion of the labor force. In an effort to help returning veterans in their transition back into the economy, Gov. Baldacci has directed the Maine workforce system to step up employment and training services to Maine’s veteran population.

Veterans representatives are working throughout the Maine CareerCenter system to provide 1-on-1 service to veterans to help them find new jobs. Veterans visiting the CareerCenter receive information and access to information and access to employment and training services, as well as other state and federal resources available to veterans.

Part of the service is assessment of the skills obtained through military service or previous employment and matching them with the needs of local employers with jobs openings. Veterans also receive information about federal and state employment opportunities, where a preference is given to applicants who are veterans.

Some veterans need additional skill upgrades to help them find new work, and the CareerCenter makes referrals to veterans in need of training. A customized training plan is developed for participants that is based on their interest, abilities and the availability of jobs in their field of training. Programs range from short-term occupational skills training to apprenticeship. Each year approximately 400 veterans benefit from the service.

Veterans also receive priority services in all the traditional employment services of the CareerCenter including job referrals, career counseling, rsum writing, interview skill development, and labor market information.

CareerCenter Veterans Representatives are also trained to make referrals to the wide array of programs and services available to veterans through the State Bureau of Veterans’ Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Special outreach and services target both disabled veterans and homeless veterans.

In addition to services offered through the CareerCenter, a new initiative by trade unions is offering apprenticeship opportunities for former service members in the trades. The program, “Helmets to Hardhats,” connects transitioning veterans with career training and employment opportunities within the construction industry. Participants learn new skills while earning a paycheck in their new trade.

Employers interested in hiring veterans can visit a Web site developed by the U.S. Department of Labor to link employers with veterans who are seeking jobs. The site, www.hirevetsfirst.gov, provides employers with tools to help match their employment needs with existing skill sets of veteran jobseekers.

November is traditionally a time when we say “Thank you” to the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. But beyond a sincere thank-you, these veterans deserve the opportunities and rewards that come from having a good job. With more Maine service men and women being called to active duty in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Maine’s workforce system is committed to helping veterans find successful careers when they return home.

Veterans and employers interested in learning more about veterans related employment services can call the CareerCenter helpline at: 1-888-457-8883 (TTY: 1-888-313-9400) to be connected with a veterans representative or set up an appointment.

Laura Fortman is the commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor.