Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Public
Affairs Media Relations
202-461-7600
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASEMay 29,
2012
EPA and Department of Veterans Affairs to
Connect Veterans with Jobs in Water Sectors
WASHINGTON
– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment Program announced today a memorandum of understanding to connect
veterans with disabilities to career opportunities in the water and wastewater
sectors -- such as at wastewater plants and drinking water facilities -- as part
of EPA’s Water Sector Workforce Initiative. This effort will be beneficial to
both the environment and economy as clean water and job placement for veterans
are top priorities of the Obama Administration.
The agreement allows EPA and VA to connect
qualified veteran employees with staffing needs at water and wastewater
utilities. EPA and the VA will work with water utilities, states and local VA
counselors to promote water sector careers and resources for finding water jobs
for veterans as well as educational programs to help veterans transition into
careers in water industries.
“This
agreement comes at the perfect time to address the predicted workforce shortages
in the water and wastewater industries and the need for transitioning veterans
into civilian jobs,” said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s
Office of Water. “EPA believes that well-trained and experienced water sector
professionals are vital to ensuring sustainable, properly operated systems.”
“VA has cultivated relationships with both
public and private industry to ensure disabled veterans have opportunities to
find and maintain meaningful employment,” said Under Secretary for Benefits
Allison A. Hickey. “We are thrilled to forge this relationship with EPA to
assist them with hiring veterans through our Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment Program.”
More than one-third of
all current water operators are eligible to retire within seven years and,
according to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment for water and wastewater
operators is expected to grow by 20 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than
the national average for all other occupations. EPA sees the need to invest now
in creating a pipeline of future water sector professionals to fill these
essential water sector careers.
VA’s Vocational
Rehabilitation and Employment Program assists more than 100,000 disabled veterans annually prepare
for, find, and maintain meaningful careers. Veterans are an important target
group for water and wastewater utility jobs because many veterans already
possess training and technical skills that are directly transferable to careers
in the water sector. There is a wide spectrum of water sector careers that
veterans could be qualified for, including engineering, laboratory and water
science, operations and maintenance, management and administration,
communications, and public education. The Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment Program further supports veterans for the water workforce by
providing necessary accommodations and additional training as needed.
More
on EPA’s Water Sector Workforce Initiative: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/ws_workforce.cfm
More
about VA connecting qualified veterans with employer needs: http://www.vetsuccess.gov/
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