Labor Council Awarded State Grant

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$500,000 Grant Will Be Used to Place Recently Separated Veterans in Middle-Class Jobs

By Anthony Saavedra

The San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council has been awarded one of 12 State of California grants for training veterans and placing them into jobs.

The $500,000 grant will be used to aid veterans who left the military within the past 48 months as they seek jobs that provide middle-class wages and benefits. Funding for the grants comes from the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

“It is important for the community to step up and make sure the men and women returning from the armed services have the ability to reach the same American Dream that they are sent over seas to defend,” said Lorena Gonzalez, secretary-treasurer of the Labor Council. “As our country faces uncertain economic times, we are proud to say we are partners in making sure our veterans are not left behind.”

Veterans Village of San Diego will work with the Labor Council for outreach in the military community and to help identify veterans who qualify for the program.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 18 percent of veterans seeking jobs within three years of discharge were unemployed, and that a quarter of those who do find jobs are earning less than $22,000 a year. Within six months of completing a Labor Council job training program, participants can earn as much as $15.50 an hour. The Labor Council’s free job training programs place approximately 90 percent of its students in middle-class jobs with quality wages and benefits.

Since 2003, more than 700 students have completed the program. Most students are placed in jobs with partner companies, such as NASSCO and SDG&E, and within the building trades. For more information on the Labor Council’s training programs, call (619) 283-5411.