Northern Virginia Technology Council Announces Veterans Employment Initiative

Initiative provides tools and resources to match military veterans with jobs, internships, jobs, mentorships and certifications

HERNDON, Va., Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), the largest technology council in the nation, today launched the NVTC Veterans Employment Initiative, a new program designed to connect veterans to employment opportunities within Virginia's technology community. The announcement was made during an event at ICF International in Fairfax which included remarks by Gov. Bob McDonnell and Sen. Mark Warner.

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During the event, NVTC leaders highlighted the many aspects of the Initiative designed to match veterans with jobs, internships, mentorships and certifications, while also providing support to member companies in their efforts to hire, train and retain qualified veteran employees. In describing the Initiative, NVTC Chair Sudhakar Kesavan, chairman and CEO of ICF International, noted that NVTC's effort is unique because it is being driven by the business community in conjunction with our region's academic institutions and policymakers. "Through the combined power of the organizations involved in this Initiative, we are building a new ecosystem in Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth that will connect veterans to employment opportunities and companies with an unmatched talent pool, while providing both with tools to support their long-term success," said Kesavan.

Steve Cooker, executive vice president of Global Government Solutions for Monster Worldwide, who serves as a co-chair of the NVTC Veterans Initiative, spoke about why Monster is taking such an active role in the program. "This program is natural for us. At Monster, we connect people with job opportunities - it's in our DNA. We also have Military.com, a subsidiary of Monster, giving us a deep and rich legacy working with the military and veterans," said Cooker. "As a member of the Northern Virginia business community, we saw this NVTC initiative bringing all of those elements together right in our back yard."

Through the NVTC online veterans community, Monster and Military.com provide tools designed to assist service members' transition into the civilian workforce. Veterans can use the military skills translator to match their skills to civilian jobs, access a searchable database of jobs at NVTC member companies and tap into educational resources to help them develop skills to thrive in a private sector career. NVTC members get free access to a resume database of over 800,000 veterans, state of the art search tools to find the right potential employee, and other tools to post and manage job openings.

Initiative Co-Chair David Lucien of DCL Associates provided an overview of the effort, including how NVTC will assist NVTC member companies in establishing or expanding their own veteran programs. He also described how NVTC is collaborating with state and federal policymakers to expedite legislative and/or regulatory action that enhances companies' ability to hire and train veterans on any federal contract. "NVTC member companies are participating in this initiative because veterans bring tremendously valuable skills and experience to the job," said Lucien. "These highly-prized qualities can be an incredible competitive advantage in the marketplace."

Dr. Bob Templin, president of Northern Virginia Community College, outlined how the region's academic institutions are working with the business community to develop and expand veterans training programs that address the skills gap faced by many veterans as they leave military service.

Other speakers included NVTC President and CEO Bobbie Kilberg and Al Grasso, president and CEO of The MITRE Corporation.

"Many NVTC member companies believe overall workforce development is one of the greatest long-term challenges facing our technology community," said Kilberg. "The NVTC Veterans Employment Initiative is about bringing together the technology business community with our region's academic institutions and policymakers to create an ecosystem where veterans' valuable skills and talents are matched to private sector needs."

In the coming months, NVTC will host a variety of events and programs to assist member companies in establishing or expanding internal veteran programs, including an event in partnership the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Initiative. In addition, the Council will facilitate events to help veterans learn best practices for their job search, connect to employers in the business community, and network with fellow veterans.

For more information about the NVTC Veterans Employment Initiative, visit www.nvtc.org/veterans. Or visit the veteran online community and resource at www.nvtc.monster.com.

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership and trade association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies and organizations, including businesses from all sectors of the technology industry, service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 300,000 employees in the region. NVTC is recognized as the nation's leader in providing its technology community with networking and educational events; specialized services and benefits; public policy advocacy; branding of its region as a major global technology center; initiatives in targeted business sectors and in the international, entrepreneurship, workforce and education arenas; the Equal Footing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that serves local area youth; and The Entrepreneur Center @NVTC, which mentors new technology entrepreneurs. Visit NVTC at www.nvtc.org.

SOURCE Northern Virginia Technology Council