Plymouth Career Center Employee Honored for Helping Veterans

The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) today announced that the Department of Career Services recognized several outstanding One-Stop Career Center employees for their work on behalf of veteran jobseekers. These employees, who include veterans’ representatives, business service representatives, and job specialists, have made tremendous contributions towards getting veterans re-employed.

Last week, Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray toured JobNet as a part of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s Third Annual MASS Veterans’ Tour and presented the Boston One-Stop Career Center with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding work on behalf of homeless and disabled veterans.

“It was great to visit JobNet and honor Massachusetts One-Stop Career Centers for their continued hard work to help veterans re-enter the workforce,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray, who chairs the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services as well as the Governor’s Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness. “By helping our military servicemen and women get back to work, these employees have made significant steps toward ending homelessness among those who have made sacrifices for our country.”

The JobNet staff has worked tirelessly on behalf of homeless veterans, forging a strong partnership with the New England Center for Homeless Veterans to create training opportunities and access to jobs that will lead to self-sufficiency for the neediest veterans. JobNet has also focused on providing job training opportunities for those veterans who have become disabled while serving their country. Through a long-standing collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Vocational and Rehabilitation Program, JobNet has established successful programs that link job training services and rehabilitation assistance for disabled veterans.In addition to the recognition staff received at JobNet, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Career Services recognized eleven other outstanding One-Stop Career Center employees for their work on behalf of veteran jobseekers. Veterans’ Representatives, Business Service Representatives, and Job Specialists have made tremendous contributions towards getting veterans re-employed.

“I am proud to honor all of our staff who have worked so hard on behalf of the Commonwealth’s veterans,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Joanne F. Goldstein. “The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development is committed to serving Massachusetts’ veterans of every generation and all occupations. I encourage veterans seeking work to visit the One-Stop Career Centers to work with the dedicated and experienced Veterans’ Representatives for assistance and advice."

 “I am impressed with the range of veterans services offered through the state’s One-Stop Career Centers,” said Secretary of Veterans’ Services Coleman Nee. “It is rewarding to see Veterans Representatives tackling everything from re-employment services to social media. These staff members are passionate and committed to our veterans’ needs.”

At the Plymouth Career Center, Michael Kelly has been recognized with an award for Innovation in Technology in Support of Veteran Jobseekers. Kelly, a former Navy recruiter and retired Chief Petty Officer, has spent the past fifteen years working to help fellow Veterans find civilian work. In his role as a Veterans Representative at the Plymouth Career Center, Kelly founded VetNet, a social network of Veterans from all branches of the military that helps Veterans train, search for and secure jobs. VetNet is unique in its concept as it is run by both the center and the veteran jobseekers. Kelly had the logo created by an unemployed veteran graphic designer and utilizes the skills of his veteran jobseekers in their networking community both on and offline, such as drawing on a marketing manager to teach the group about marketing themselves for employment.

Dedicated Veterans Representatives are available at Massachusetts’ One-Stop Career Centers across the state to help Veterans transition to civilian work by developing comprehensive training programs to get back to work. For more information about the Veterans services offered at the state's One-Stop Career Centers, visit www.mass.gov/dwd/Veterans