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Building on its Elevate America program to provide technology training to help prepare people for 21st-century jobs, Microsoft Corp. today announced an initiative to bring together a coalition of public, private and nonprofit organizations to give veterans and their spouses the skills and resources they need to be successful in today’s civilian work force.

Microsoft will contribute $2 million in cash and up to $6 million in software over the next two years to support programs for members of the armed services and their spouses who are separating from the military and reintegrating into their civilian communities and the work force. Through a competitive funding process, Microsoft will award cash, software and other resources to eligible organizations, including veterans service organizations, work force agencies, community colleges and other nonprofit organizations.

The initiative will provide veterans and their spouses with the support they need to be successful in their transition to civilian careers, including technology skills training, job placement, career counseling and other support services such as childcare, transportation and housing. The initiative is intended to support active duty service members who are transitioning out of the military as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves who are returning to their civilian jobs.

At the NAWB Forum, Passman reported on the results of Elevate America so far:

• Twelve states have implemented the program: Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington.
• To date, Microsoft has distributed more than 300,000 free training and certification vouchers to these states.
• More than 50 percent of people who received vouchers proactively took the next step — beginning a training course or taking a certification exam.
• Around 70 percent of the people who received the vouchers were unemployed.
• Sixty percent were women, and 37 percent were between 41 and 55 years of age.
• Thirty-three percent had a high school diploma or GED, and 42 percent had some postsecondary education or training (certificate, some college or four-year degree).

Organizations and veterans can find more information on this initiative by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/elevateamerica, and can get updates by following Elevate America on Twitter at http://twitter.com/elevateamerica.

Nearly 20% Indicate Increases in Compensation Due to Changing Employers

Professionals holding active federal security clearances maintained a compensatory advantage with average earnings of $92,368, according to ClearanceJobs.com, the leading online career resource for professionals with active federal security clearance. Compensation is defined as including salary, overtime, “danger pay,” and bonuses. However, 19 percent of defense industry workers who received pay increases attribute the gain to changing employers – suggesting a high turnover rate among professionals with security clearance.

“Government agencies and their contractors are vying for the same talent pool of security-cleared professionals and the poaching goes both ways,” said Evan Lesser, founder & Director of ClearanceJobs. “Continued increases in defense and homeland security needs drive both the strong job market and healthy compensation. However, government agencies and contractors should take note of the turnover issue which isn’t new, but indicates a level of competition to fill key security-cleared positions not seen in other industries.”

Domestic vs. Abroad Clearance Makes a Difference

Across the country, California, Virginia and Washington, DC earned on average at least $98,500. While cleared professionals based in Florida report average compensation of $81,034, below the average, they were the most satisfied stateside respondents with their compensation.

The top 10 highest average earnings for cleared professionals by state/district are:

2010

• California $98,968
• Virginia $98,658
• Washington, DC $98,542
• Maryland $94,398
• Ohio $90,948
• Colorado $85,395
• New Jersey $83,808
• Florida $81,034
• Alabama $79,990
• New York $77,391

Nearly one-quarter of security-cleared professionals working in the Capital region (Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia) attributed their compensation increases to changing employers, above the national average. In addition, the region boasts the richest concentration of respondents (39%) with current polygraphs creating an earnings edge.

Nationally, security-cleared professionals with current polygraphs earned approximately 20 percent more than those without a polygraph. Topping six-figures, their compensation averaged $105,785.

Please visit www.clearancejobs.com/files/salary.htm for the full survey results, including reports and analysis on compensation by location including a specific break-out of the Capital region, clearance level, polygraph level, employer type, war zone, satisfaction, job category, and salary premiums for cleared technology professionals.

Transitioning military veterans will have the chance to receive financial and career assistance in 2010 through the “Gradient Gives Back” Community Outreach Program. The program, launched by Gradient Financial Group, the country’s leading financial services firm, and Afterburner, the global leader in organizational execution, aims to help the 220,000 military veterans transitioning into civilian life this year.

Gradient and Afterburner are seeking up to 50 transitioning military veterans across the U.S. to earn a seat at one of three Veteran Transition Assistance Boot Camps. These fully-immersive, three-day courses will help transition military veterans into civilian life through Afterburner’s military-to-business vernacular training, coaching and career placement.

Top candidates from each boot camp will be vying for select positions with Afterburner’s network of Fortune 500 clients and will be awarded two years-worth of financial services from Gradient, which will include asset analysis, risk tolerance assessment, retirement planning, home mortgage origination, tax planning, and debt review and reduction strategies.

One deserving military veteran will be selected in late 2010 to receive the Ultimate Financial Gift – six months of mortgage/lease payments; waiver of home mortgage origination or refinancing fees; debt reduction; free tax planning and filing of 2010 and 2011 taxes; and career counseling and guidance!

To learn more about Gradient Gives Back Community Outreach Program or to nominate a deserving veteran in your community, visit: www.gradientgivesback.com. Follow us on Twitter @gradientgives.

The Pat Tillman Foundation has selected Cleveland State University as a new partner in the Tillman Military Scholarship program which provides educational scholarships for veterans, service members, and their families. In 2009, the Pat Tillman Foundation awarded $642,000 to the inaugural class of 52 Tillman Military Scholars pursuing education at every level from freshmen undergraduates to Ph.D. candidates.

“CSU is a leader in providing service to returning military veterans, easing their transition from military to civilian life and into the classroom. Our SERV – Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran – program is a national model for addressing the very special needs of veterans as they re-adjust to civilian life,” said Cleveland State President Ronald M. Berkman.

Nearly 300 veterans are enrolled in CSU’s Project SERV, a program that was selected as one of only 10 colleges nationwide to receive $100,000 for program excellence by the Wal-Mart Foundation in 2008.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Pat Tillman Foundation as a partner institution. The financial needs of the returning veteran are great. Partnering with the Foundation will enable us to help more students begin or re-start their collegiate studies,” added Berkman.

CSU joins Texas A&M University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Oregon as the newest Tillman Military Scholar universities selected as partners for the 2010/2011 academic year. They join current university partners Mississippi State University, the University of Idaho, the University of Arkansas, and the University of Maryland. The Pat Tillman Foundation has chosen to partner with these institutions because they are all leaders in military support services to student veterans, active service members, and their families on campus. Each university partner also helps circulate information and educate eligible students about the Tillman Military Scholar program.

Project HIRED, whose job placement, training, and employment services have helped hundreds of people with disabilities find the right job with the right company for the last 30 years, announced today that they will host local and regional public officials, federal agencies, local business executives and disabled veterans at a Wounded Warrior Workforce Conference on Thursday, January 28, 2010, in San Jose.

The conference represents Project HIRED’s launch of its Wounded Warrior Workforce initiative, which will be a specialized sub-set of Project HIRED client services designed to provide veterans with disabilities the tools and resources they need to successfully transition into the civilian workplace. In addition, the Wounded Warrior Workforce program will also offer employers strategies and services for adding these dedicated and skilled heroes to their organizations.

One seminar will be held from 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST) for veterans with disabilities who have completed (or will soon complete) rehabilitation and are ready to return to the workplace. The other seminar will be in the morning from 8:00 AM-12:00 PM, bringing together employers interested in starting or expanding their own program for hiring these veterans.

The event will be held at:

• Project HIRED, 1401 Parkmoor Avenue, Suite 125, San Jose, Ca. 95126.
• Veterans with Disabilities: Project HIRED’s Wounded Warrior Seminar
• Employers, Exhibitors, Veterans Support Organizations and Public Agencies, or General Public: Project HIRED’s Employer Seminar

OPM launched FedsHireVets.gov, a critical component of President Obama’s Veterans Employment Initiative. The website will become the main source for Veterans employment information and resources for both Veterans and Hiring Officials. This represents phase one of an ongoing effort to help the men and women who have served our country in the military and their families find employment in the Federal Civil Service.

Info on this offer courtesy of Military Connection:

Due to the release of billions of dollars in stimulus funds, Green Jobs are expected to be the fastest growing sector of the economy for the foreseeable future. As a result AHIT is offering our Certified Energy Audit training package at no cost for current members of the US Military. According to the Obama Administration, workers in the Energy Audit field can expect to earn upwards of $50 per hour.

Call AHIT today and set yourself up for a high-paying, long-lasting career in the Green Energy Industry as an AHIT Certified Energy Auditor. Substantial discounts available for veterans as well.

GET STARTED! Give them a call at (800)441-9411.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is launching the Operation Welcome Home outreach campaign today! Some key takeaways from the recent article from Sign On San Diego:

His initiative will set aside $20 million in one-time special funds to hire 325 combat veterans who will personally connect with newly discharged service members in need of job assistance. …

Money for the program – the first of its kind in the nation, those knowledgeable about its provisions say – will come from the Employment Development Department. …

Schwarzenegger also envisions recruiting 1,000 volunteers as part of a new, ongoing CalVet Corps to expand outreach for housing, health care and other services for veterans. The volunteers would help participants access services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, municipal governments, professional organizations and charities. They also would stay in touch with the veterans to monitor their progress.

The goal is to encourage more aggressive outreach, especially because veterans might not be aware of certain services or they avoid seeking them out of fear of government bureaucracy.

Operation Welcome Home will be unveiled as part of the governor’s State of the State address before the Legislature, but it doesn’t need legislative approval.…

Schwarzenegger has listed benchmarks to determine whether Operation Welcome Home succeeds. Among them: seeing whether veterans’ rates of unemployment and homelessness eventually drop, whether more veterans enroll in college, and whether more veterans are screened and treated for mental illness related to combat.

The University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science is launching an advanced degree program to serve those who have served.

The Accelerated Master’s Program for Veterans in Systems Engineering has been created to meet the educational needs of recent U.S. military veterans as they reenter civilian life. Planning for the program is supported in part by the National Science Foundation through one of seven grants awarded to selected schools to develop programs targeted specifically toward helping veterans transition from military life into productive careers in advanced technology.

The Engineering School has initiated a fundraising campaign to provide scholarships for eligible veterans. These scholarships would help to offset tuition not covered by the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

While systems engineering is a promising career path for anyone holding the degree – CNNMoney.com recently ranked systems engineering No. 1 on its list of “best jobs in America” – veterans are particularly suited for the career and in high demand because many have gained technical skills and security clearances through their work in the military. These are two qualifications sought after by large defense and government contractors such as Lockheed Martin or Science Applications International Corporation, both of which often work in classified technology projects.

Learn about the Accelerated Master’s Program for Veterans in Systems Engineering.

Want to know if your company is a military-friendly place to work? Or if you should even bother to apply there? Check out G.I. Jobs’ list of the top 100 military-friendly employers!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!