National Guard Jobs Bank Initiative Kicks Off in Michigan

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Call of Duty to Small and Mid-Size Businesses: 

Register and Post Your Jobs for Skilled Workforce

LANSING, MI: The National Guard, in an alliance with Center for America (CFA) and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN), today joins with Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, American Electric Power (AEP) Chief Operating Officer Robert Powers, and Michigan Economic Development Corporation Chief Operating Officer and director of the Workforce Development Agency and its Veterans’ Services Division, Elliot Forsyth, to announce the “American Jobs for America’s Heroes” National Guard Jobs Bank Initiative. Nashville recording artist Matt Dame, the son of a career National Guard officer, performs a number of songs, including “From the Heart to the Hands,” the theme song for CFA’s “10 By 20 Pledge for America” skilled worker campaign. Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the commander of the Michigan National Guard, will speak on behalf of the National Guard.

The goal of the Initiative is to inspire thousands of small and mid-size companies across America to register and post jobs on the MSCCN jobs bank website to connect with thousands of National Guard Members, spouses, and veterans who have skills and training to fill thousands of jobs. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Manufacturers Association have also endorsed the effort, along with a range of trade associations that will be involved going forward with the national effort.

The special kick-off event will take place at The Lansing Center, Exhibit Hall “C”, 333 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 at 12:30 PM ET. The event is open to the media.

The simple process to register and post jobs “will help streamline the application process and allow applicants and employers to connect more quickly than in many job search environments,” said Steve Nowlan, President, Center for America.

“Our veterans have served us with courage, dignity and honor,” said Gov. Rick Snyder. “Michigan is committed to helping these brave men and women find the right career opportunities that take full advantage of their high-quality skills. Our new Pure Michigan Talent Connect website is a great start. This online tool at www.MiTalent.org serves as a talent marketplace for job seekers and job providers. We’re proud to have launched the first phase of the website and look forward to its completion in June 2012. Michigan veterans and National Guard members have so much to offer. Their leadership abilities, technical expertise and real-world experience make them valuable assets to any employer. We will work with job providers to ensure that our heroes are not forgotten and the ‘American Jobs for America’s Heroes’ Jobs Bank Initiative is the perfect complement to our efforts.”

“Unemployment among the 358,000 serving Guard Members alone is 15 percent – above the national average – and unemployment in units returned from combat averages between 35-54 percent,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, Michigan National Guard commander. “We embrace this effort to encourage companies with 25 to 1,000 employees in Michigan and across America to register and post job openings on the website – we’ve got a talented, trained workforce ready and able to do the job.”

“According to recent studies, as many as 600,000 skilled jobs are going unfilled right now across America because employers can’t find qualified applicants. Connecting these employers with the talented and trained workforce available through the National Guard is a top priority for both the unemployed and for the American economy,” said Robert Powers, Chief Operating Officer, American Electric Power, which has operations in Michigan and 10 other states. “AEP supports the initiative, which is consistent with our longstanding skills training programs and education outreach efforts. We encourage employers to step forward with job opportunities to find the talent that exists among the National Guard and their families.” AEP provided funding support for the Lansing kick-off event.

“Center for America’s ’10 By 20 Pledge for America’ campaign, which promotes community-based action to develop 10 million skilled workers by 2020, views this effort as practical action toward that national goal. Employers across America consistently list ‘lack of qualified workforce to fill available jobs’ as their top concern, and more than half believe the situation will only get worse in the next three to five years,” said Steve Nowlan, CFA President. ““We’ve got a crisis on our collective hands in America – too many talented National Guard and military personnel are currently seeking employment, and too many skilled jobs are unfilled right now. Connecting America’s heroes with American jobs is the task at hand.”

“The majority of new jobs are created by small and mid-size companies, so this new alliance seeks available job postings from one of the great engines of job creation in America,” said Stacy Bayton, CASY and MSCCN Executive Director. “This is about providing practical hope and opportunity for the skilled workforce that exists in the men and women of the National Guard, veterans and their families.”

The registration and postings begin in January. Similar events will follow in states across America in the coming weeks and months, including Tennessee and Georgia in January.

The Center for America (www.centerforamerica.org) is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 that focuses its national efforts on educating and empowering the public about barriers to free enterprise, the need for expanded skills training and job creation, and the impact of lawsuit abuse on reducing job creation.

CFA is in the midst of a broad national effort – the “10 By 20 Pledge for America” campaign – to     encourage communities, employers, schools and individuals to take steps to increase skills training and connect people with jobs with skills – the goal is 10 million skilled workers (and jobs) by 2020. The “American Jobs for America’s Heroes” National Guard Jobs Bank Initiative is a vital part of this broad effort.

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (www.msccn.org) is a non-profit founded in 2004 by a Navy spouse, Deborah Kloeppel. It focuses on employment readiness, applicant referral, job training, and job placement assistance for military spouses, transitioning military, veterans, war wounded, and caregivers of war wounded. Operated and managed by a team of geographically diverse military spouses, veterans, and caregivers of war wounded, working from home offices located near military installations across the country. MSCCN has provided help for more than 3.5 million military personnel since its founding.

The speakers and performers at the Lansing kick-off event are available for media interviews at the event and during the weeks following.

Biographies of the speakers follow this release.

To schedule interviews or gather more information, please contact:

Jenny Kefauver                                    Todd Young

jenny@centerforamerica.org             todd@centerforamerica.org

703.850.3533                                      770.317.2423

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENTS

Governor Rick Snyder – Rick Snyder became Michigan’s 48th governor on Jan. 1, 2011. Since taking office, Gov. Snyder has kept his pledge to reinvent Michigan by working in a positive, constructive manner with partners statewide. In less than a year, these shared accomplishments include eliminating the state’s $1.5 billion budget deficit, setting aside funds to pay down Michigan’s long-term obligations, replacing the job-killing Michigan Business Tax with a fairer system, doing away with needlessly burdensome laws that hampered economic growth and reforming Michigan’s education system. The results are paying off as numerous indicators point to an improving economic climate in the state. A Battle Creek native, Snyder earned his undergraduate, master’s and law degrees from the University of Michigan – all by the age of 23. He is the former head of Gateway computer company and later formed a successful venture capital firm.

Major General Gregory J. Vadnais – Currently serving as the Adjutant General and the Director of Military and Veterans Affairs for Michigan, Major General Vadnais commands and directs the Michigan Army and Air National Guard, with a total of 159 units. As commander of the 38th Infantry Division (Mechanized), he oversaw the deployment of over 9,000 soldiers to 17 different countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Egypt and to numerous other security missions in the United States and abroad. MG Vadnais was the Commander for Joint Task Force-Cyclone in response to Hurricane Katrina providing command and control of the over 14,000 Soldiers and Airmen deployed in Mississippi.

Robert Powers, Chief Operating Officer, American Electric Power – Robert serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of American Electric Power (AEP), one of the nation’s largest utilities with operations in 11 states and 19,000 employees. AEP has taken a leadership role in a number of initiatives to develop the next generation of skilled workers, including partnerships with career centers, two-year and four-year colleges, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the building trade unions, and are also active participants in the Center for Energy Workforce Development.   AEP is a partnering sponsor with Center for America and the National Guard Jobs Bank program.

Stacy Bayton, Executive Director, Corporate America Supports You (CASY) and Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) – Stacy ensures the job readiness and place­ment of military-affiliated applicants, while maintaining the full operations of CASY and MSCCN’s employment and training platforms. Stacy served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and the U.S. Marine Corps before building her career in law, business and public service. She is a trailblazer in creating jobs and successful employment opportu­nities for military-affiliated job seekers by building employment programs which connect job seekers to hiring managers. She is founder of health and environmental initiatives and serves as Chairman of the Board for Military Musters.

Bob Dorigo Jones – A Senior Fellow with Center for America and native Michigander, Bob is the creator of the nationally renowned annual Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest and host of the weekly national radio commentary, “Let’s Be Fair!” which appears on 85 radio stations with an audience of 27 million listeners. Bob serves as master of ceremonies for the National Guard Jobs Bank event in Lansing, Michigan.

Matt Dame – A Nashville recording artist, Matt was voted Nashville’s #1 Male Demo Singer by fellow songwriters in 2008 and 2009. A former police officer and detective from Batesville, Arkansas, Matt is also an award-winning barbecue pit master. Matt recorded “From the Heart to the Hands,” the theme song for the Center for America’s 10 By 20 Pledge for America skilled worker campaign. He will perform the song in Lansing, Michigan at the National Guard Jobs Bank event.

Jenny Kefauver                                    Todd Young

jenny@centerforamerica.org             todd@centerforamerica.org

703.850.3533                                      770.317.2423

The Center for America (www.centerforamerica.org) is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 that focuses its national efforts on educating and empowering the public about barriers to free enterprise, the need for expanded skills training and job creation, and the impact of lawsuit abuse on reducing job creation.

CFA is in the midst of a broad national effort – the “10 By 20 Pledge for America” campaign – to     encourage communities, employers, schools and individuals to take steps to increase skills training and connect people with jobs with skills – the goal is 10 million skilled workers (and jobs) by 2020.  The “American Jobs for America’s Heroes” National Guard Jobs Bank Initiative is a vital part of this broad effort.

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (www.msccn.org) is a non-profit founded in 2004 by a Navy spouse, Deborah Kloeppel.  It focuses on employment readiness, applicant referral, job training, and job placement assistance for military spouses, transitioning military, veterans, war wounded, and caregivers of war wounded.  Operated and managed by a team of geographically diverse military spouses, veterans, and caregivers of war wounded, working from home offices located near military installations across the country.  MSCCN has provided help for more than 3.5 million military personnel since its founding.