As lawmakers work to create the Indiana Career Council, meant to coordinate the state’s workforce development efforts, they’re placing a special emphasis on addressing unemployment among recent veterans.
The unemployment rate for Indiana’s post-9-11 veterans is 20%, more than double that of the average Hoosier. Indiana National Guard Employment Coordination Program manager Catalina Carrasco said part of the reason so many young veterans are unemployed is a disconnect between veterans and employers.
“Sometimes it’s just even putting all their work experience, especially their military experience down on paper, on a résumé in a way that civilian employers can understand that and they can see how those skills and experience is transferable to their needs,” said Carrasco.
Indiana National Guard Chief of Staff Brian Copes said the Indiana Career Council can help educate private sector employers and dispel their concerns.
“There is a bit of tribal lore and a reluctance because of the visibility that PTSD has gotten in the news. It is a very, very small percentage but it gets a lot of media coverage and so employers have just a bit of reluctance, going ‘Am I going to hire that person?’” said Copes.
Legislation creating the Indiana Career Council unanimously passed the Indiana House Tuesday. It now heads to the Senate.
