Got a note today from a group working through the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment that I thought I’d share. Pass it along if you know someone who could profit from it:
The Balboa project:
The Transition Training Academy (TTA) pilot project prepares disabled veterans returning from Afghanistan or Iraq for job opportunities by honing their IT skills and providing them with a marketable credential in the employment arena and CISCO certification.
As many as 20,000 veterans who have suffered combat-related serious injuries may potentially receive training through TTA.
The TTA project was implemented through a public, private partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) and Cisco.
The first class of 20 sailors and marines graduated in early August; each student was exposed to a variety of technology disciplines, received Cisco certification and was introduced to companies at a private job fair.
The program offers Web-based exercises and online training support (via email and chat rooms) that provides an opportunity for continued learning after completion of formation classroom instruction.
DOL is in the process of exploring the development of a program that can be replicated at medial treatment facilities across the country and expand the program to include training in other career fields.
TTA is a model that melds perfectly with universal strategies like customized employment and the burgeoning trend of flexible workplace practices (e.g., telework).
TTA courses included: networking, computer and software support and Small Office Home Office (SOHO) support and were taught at levels ranging from beginner to advanced levels of experience.
General partnership background:
In partnership with Department of Labor Veterans
I have to admit, this is a great program. I’ve been a network and systems engineer for about 20 years now, and one thing I always realized is if I had connectivity to the office I could do my job from home unless I actually needed to physically touch a dead machine.
These days I’m running a service that crosses 38 states and three countries, and I can generally walk anybody through remote troubleshooting steps. There is absolutely no reason not to hire these folks and let them work from wherever is convenient. If I can do this from a basement in South Dakota, shooting a microwave signal 10 miles until I finally hit a landline that eventually finds an internet connection in Fargo, North Dakota, and still be effective, anybody can do it.
Besides, you’re talking about veterans. You know, folks who understand a job isn’t 8-5 and have a history of meeting performance goals. Folks with a work ethic, in other words.
When I hire folks the ones who are farm kids and vets go to the top of the pile. I don’t care about the academic qualifications nearly as much. With farm kids and vets I know I’ll get a full day of effort out of them as a minimum.
– Max
What Max said.
This is exactly the kind of job applicant I’d want for my future tech startup, which is built around telework. Not just the vet, but their milspouse who kept the home fires burning. You are hiring a family that sacrificed as a team. A team that deserves every possible consideration and courtesy.
Instead of expecting them to move every 2.5 years, you’d ask them to pick their dream homeplace, set up their connectivity, and bring the work to them. Instead of Gen XYZ layabouts who have to be told everything, you’d have a network of leaning forward profit centers who will proactively solve a problem before you even hear of it.
Good for TTA, I’ll be following this closely.
Most Cisco certs are impressive – good for John Chambers. Makes me want to buy more load-balancers…(-*
Cap’n,
This is what I call an Excellent Idea! Here in the People’s Socialist Paradise of Madison, Wisconsin, there are many, many fine students studying IT/IS subjects. Some are employed by the Black and White Bug and others do the self-employment thing.
I’d trade all of them for one Vet with the willingness to learn.
SeniorD,
As an IT guy myself, I couldn’t agree with you more. When is this program coming to DC? We’re always looking for good folks, especially those with certs.
As project lead and instructor for the TTA program I was amazed at the enthusiasm that the vets at Balboa had for the courses. It was a privilege to work with them and share information that may make their transition to a new career, a little easier.
It is anticipated that this program will continue at Balboa and be replicated in other locations around the USA.
Whatever we can do for those that give us their all, we must do!!
Mr. Reynolds,
What can I do to bring something like your program to Madison? Please let me know.
Seems like a no brainer to me… Why does it take so long to implement these programs?
At last year’s Milblog conf I listened closely to the DOD Rep that kept saying that “they” were getting right on whatever it was that was being discussed…
We are now 4+ years after the invasion of Iraq. Seems they should “get on” these programs pronto and, not just for the vets but, for our country…
Everyone knows that a Vet, even a disabled Vet, is a better hire than the regular population. Like I said, a no-brainer…
Nice Read..