Helmets To Hardhats
A Program To Help Veterans
Left-Right: Governor Tom Vilsack, Richard
Running, Tom Gillespie,
Major General Ron Dardis and retired Major General Matthew Caulfield
On July 5, 2005, Governor
Vilsack signed a resolution establishing the Helmets to Hardhats program
in Iowa. Tom Gillespie, President of the Iowa State Building and
Construction Trades Council; Major General Matthew Caulfield, Executive
Director of the Helmets to Hardhats program; Major General Ron Dardis
Adjunct General of the Iowa National Guard; and Richard Running, Iowa
Workforce Development Director, participated in the signing ceremony.
Governor Vilsack commented,
“As we return from our Independence Day celebrations, we are keenly
aware of the unique blessings we have as Americans.” He continued, “Our
blessings and freedoms are protected by brave men and women in our armed
forces. We have the responsibility to ensure they have economic
opportunities once the return home.”
Helmets to Hardhats is a
program that helps ease the passage into civilian life for military
personnel, Guardsmen and Reservists by providing information on great
career opportunities, pay, and benefits in the construction industry.
The program is co-sponsored nationally by 15 building and construction
trades organizations, as well as their employer associations, which
together represent about 82,000 contractors.
The program is at no-cost
and allows candidates to access information about careers and
apprenticeships via the Internet from anywhere in the world. To apply
for work or membership, each candidate completes a comprehensive profile
that helps Helmets to Hardhats refer candidates to the right program and
location. Both manual and non-manual careers are available to
candidates. Depending on the experience of the candidates, they may be
placed into an apprenticeship program that will allow them to earn while
they learn. The program also has an on-line forum with mentors, who have
served in the military, and are now working in various unions who can
provide guidance and support to participants.
The program is a building
trades initiative administered by the Center for Military Recruitment,
Assessment, and Veterans Employment and initially funded by the U.S.
Army. The center is a not-for-profit trust directed by a joint
labor-management construction industry committee.
Visit
www.HelmetstoHardhats.org
for more information on the program.
Iowa Workforce
Development
