Delaware County Legislators and Pathways PA Announce New Veteran Employment Program— HeroesPath

DELAWARE COUNTY –Delaware County state legislators were joined by PathWays PA and other Delaware County local elected officials and business leaders to announce HeroesPath, a new southeastern Pennsylvania regional veterans engagement program that was funded in the recently passed FY2013-14 state budget.

“The veterans in our community are true American heroes. We know their transition from active duty back to civilian life can be very challenging. HeroesPath will help make that transition a little easier by helping veterans match their training and experience to jobs and employers in this region,” said Rep. Adolph.

HeroesPath will be funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Industry Partnerships program and will help unemployed and underemployed veterans navigate and connect to resources including workforce training, employment prospects, skills development, financial strategies, and supportive services.

“We owe our veterans a great deal for the many sacrifices they have made,” said Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9). “I’m proud to support the HeroesPath program, which will help local veterans connect with local job opportunities. It’s going to be a tremendous program, and PathWays PA is the right organization to make sure it works as intended.”

“It was an honor to advocate for this program in my role as a legislator. Veterans and their families sacrificed so much for us, we must be equally dedicated to helping them with their transition back to civilian life,” said Rep. Joe Hackett (R-Delaware).

Active Army National Guard member and State Rep. Nick Miccarelli (R-Delaware), added “Our military trains soldiers to hit a target at 3000 meters with a mortar. While an important skill in the military, it does not translate to a career upon returning to Pennsylvania. HeroesPath will provide them the opportunity to receive training and education to sustain a successful civilian career. The lack of employment opportunities for returning veterans has only served to compound their struggle transitioning back into civilian life. I am glad that a program like HeroesPath exists to connect them with a meaningful career and to get them back on their feet”

Rep. Tom Killion (R-Delaware) also added, “We have a large number of veterans living in southeastern Pennsylvania. Their bravery and dedication make our communities a much better place. We need to do all we can to make sure we are helping them get back into the community and their normal routines they had before putting their lives on the line to serve our country.”

HeroesPath will be administered by the Delaware County Workforce Investment Board and PathWays PA. PathWays PA will direct daily operations through Veterans Placement Specialists who will serve as a career coach, working individually to make appropriate assessments and to guide veterans towards opportunities that promote employment, education, and training, and to provide follow-up after employment placement to ensure retention. Veterans and employers interested in learning more about the program should call PathWays PA at 610-543-5022.

###