2. News Room

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 8, 2018
CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/news/
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WiscJobsForVets.com Employment Portal Connects Veteran Talent to Wisconsin Job Opportunities

New resource supports state, national talent recruitment efforts to strengthen workforce, provide Wisconsin employers with top-quality veteran applicants

WAUSAU – Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch joined Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Ray Allen and Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary Dan Zimmerman today in Wausau to announce the launch of WiscJobsforVets.com, a new resource to connect veteran job seekers with good-paying career opportunities in Wisconsin.

"Wisconsin boasts a top 10 economy in several indicators, and GI benefits go further in Wisconsin, with more opportunities available to both veterans and their families," Lt. Governor Kleefisch said. "We invite veterans across the state and country to learn about the family-supporting employment opportunities available in Wisconsin, and experience firsthand why Wisconsin is a great place to find a new career. We also encourage more Wisconsin employers to tap this source of highly-skilled, best-in-class talent to fill their needs."

Lt. Governor made her comments during an event to launch WiscJobsforVets.com hosted by West Corporation in Wausau. The web site was developed by DWD to strengthen employment connections between Wisconsin employers and qualified, job-ready veterans from here and across the nation, including military personnel who are separating from service or returning from deployment.

"The new website will centralize access to DWD's Office of Veterans Employment Services (OVES) and the state's leading public and private sector job boards, Job Center of Wisconsin and Wisc.Jobs," Secretary Allen said. "Employers recognize the value that veterans bring to their workforce, and through WiscJobsforVets.com, we are making it easier than ever before for employers to locate, recruit and hire top veteran talent."

The site interfaces with JobCenterofWisconsin.com, the state's free public labor exchange that today has over 91,000 job postings and offers veteran-specific features including:

• Employers can now search exclusively for veteran candidates in JobCenterofWisconsin.com to fill openings.
• Veterans can upload key documents that OVES can access automatically and determine eligibility for programs including the state's non-competitive hiring process for government positions. A veteran who has served in the armed forces, who has a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more, and is not currently employed in a permanent position with the State of Wisconsin, can be considered for jobs in state agencies without having to compete or take a civil service assessment.
• Veterans can self-identify in their JobCenterofWisconsin.com profile so employers can easily find them during resume searches.
• A brief success story video building awareness of the impact of the services Wisconsin offers to veterans and employers.

In addition to facilitating employment connections, the website also provides veterans and their families with information about local, state and federal services, including those available through Wisconsin counties and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as community-based resources, such as education and training opportunities, hiring grants and incentives, housing resources, tools for starting a Wisconsin business and more.

"Military Veterans have the qualities that every employer is looking for: The ability to work as a team leader and team member, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, the ability to give and follow directions, planning and organizational skills, a commitment to working safely, and flexibility and adaptability,” Secretary Zimmerman said. “With the launch of WiscJobsForVets, employers can now search specifically for Veteran job candidates to fill openings and learn about the many benefits of hiring them.”

"We are so pleased to partner with the Department of Workforce Development's Office of Veteran Employment Services to recruit veterans," Marcus Perez, Director of Human Resources for West Corporation, said. "Thanks to their efforts, the WiscJobsforVets website will enhance our access to this extremely talented pool of job applicants."

Visit WiscJobsforVets.com