Announced last week and just in time for Memorial Day, CareerSource Palm Beach County is now offering up to $12,000 for occupational training to eligible veterans and military spouses seeking employment through their Careers for Veterans Grant program.
The program pays for licenses, degrees and certification to help veterans and their spouses gain credentials for many in-demand careers. More than 400 credentials are available. The program also provides supportive services to cover the cost of books, licensing fees, and even childcare.
CareerSource Palm Beach County is the non-profit organization chartered by the state to lead workforce development in Palm Beach County. During the past five program years, CareerSource assisted nearly 45,000 residents find employment ranging from entry level to executive suite, with salaries from these jobs creating $700 million in annual wages. CareerSource also awarded $14.7 million in grants to area businesses and employees for job training and educational assistance during that time.
Julia Dattolo
“Memorial Day honors those generations of men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country,” said Julia Dattolo, President and CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County and a U.S. Navy veteran. “We are honored to provide Careers for Veterans Grants to assist eligible veterans and their spouses who are seeking training that leads to gainful employment.”
“Many area employers actively seek to hire veterans because of the knowledge, skills, and attributes they have acquired in a variety of specialized fields during their service. We offer career services that assist returning veterans find new employment and transition into civilian careers,” Ms. Dattolo added.
Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million veterans. Of those, nearly 77,000 are located in Palm Beach County.
Veterans who are residents of Palm Beach County are encouraged to contact CareerSource about the special employment assistance available to them at the career centers or at www.careersourcepbc.com.
These services include:
- Classes and facilities for job search
- Career development/consulting/placement services
- Talent identifiers and assessments
- Referrals to educational and vocational training programs
- Access to computers, fax machines, phones and copiers for job searches
- Veterans on staff who know how to effectively connect military experience and skills with prospective civilian employers
Cody Melton
In a recent WPBF 25 interview, Cody Melton, the Director of Operations for CareerSource Palm Beach County and United States Air Force Veteran, stated that “They’re going to receive funding to help pay for training, training in, say, HVAC or IT or nursing. There’s a variety of fields that are in demand.”
In addition to the $12,000 in occupational training for eligible vets and spouses seeking employment, participants can receive up to $3000 to assist them with support services such as covering childcare or paying for travel expenses such as gas.
Once an application is submitted, a CareerSource Palm each County Veterans Services staff member will receive the results to determine eligibility and suitability, and contact applicants with the determination and information.
Applying for the program is easy. APPLY HERE.