Microsoft Deploys New Programs to Help Veterans Get Jobs

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Microsoft Deploys New Programs to Help Veterans Get Jobs

Company awards grants to six organizations and boosts efforts to train and support employment of veterans.
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@msftcitizenship announces Elevate America #veterans nonprofit grants to help veterans find employment http://3bl.me/p5v3ke

Summary

This morning at the USO of Metropolitan New York, Microsoft launched the Elevate America veterans initiative and announced $2 million in cash grants and up to $6 million in software and IT skills-training curriculum grants to several non-profits across the country (list below). The program is focused on providing technology skills training, job placement, career counseling and other support services such as childcare, transportation and housing to give veterans and their spouses the support they need to successfully transition to civilian careers.

Press Release
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 - 11:55am

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) NEW YORK — Nov. 10, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the recipients of its Elevate America veterans initiative grants and the availability of new education, job training and placement programs to help give veterans and their spouses the skills and resources they need to be successful in today’s civilian work force.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last week’s unemployment report showed that although the overall unemployment rate last month remained steady, among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the unemployment rate rose last month to 10.6 percent (compared with 8.8 percent for nonveterans). Over the past six months, the average unemployment rate among those veterans has been 16 percent higher than the rate for nonveterans (10.7 percent compared with 9.2 percent). To help bridge this gap, Microsoft is awarding $2 million in cash and up to $6 million in software and information technology skills training curriculum to organizations that provide veterans and their spouses with the support they need to successfully transition to civilian careers. More than half of today’s jobs require some technology skills, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that figure will reach 77 percent in the next decade. The following organizations are receiving the cash and software grants:
 

·         Able-Disabled Advocacy Inc., San Diego; San Diego VetWORKS

·         Bellevue College, Bellevue, Wash.; Project SUCCEED

·         Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont Inc., Charlotte, N.C.; Elevate America’s veterans initiative

·         Gulf Coast Workforce Board, Panama City, Fla.; Mission: 21st Century

·         Per Scholas, New York and Miami, Fla.; Microsoft Veterans Employment Project

·         Veterans Inc., Worcester, Mass.; Veterans Inc. Employment and Training Program

To read the full release, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2010/nov10/11-10VetJobsPR.mspx

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