Veterans with Disabilities:
An Untapped Workforce
Presented by:
Debra Ruh, Founder & Chairman, TecAccess
Chip West, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Health Consultation
Services, TecAccess
Overview
 TecAccess Introduction
 DVET Training Program
 The Impact
 How to Emulate
 Summary
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www.TecAccess.net
TecAccess
Accessibility & Workforce
Solutions
Comprehensive
Accessibility Programs
Testing, Training, Remediation
RESULTS:
Workforce Solutions
Staff Augmentation, Veteran
Re-Training and Placement,
Career Planning
DVET
Targeted Market Research
Focus Groups, Usability Studies,
Marketing for Targeted Demographics
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www.TecAccess.net
•
Tap into New Markets
•
Expand Consumer Base
•
Avoid Litigation
•
Maximize ROI
Current Climate
 Over 6 million veterans have a disability.
(2006 American Community Survey)
 Over 700,000 are unemployed in any given
month. For those who are employed, they
are drastically underemployed.
 Over 200,000 annually will flood the civilian
job market as they leave the military in
coming years (Dept. of Labor).
 Over $14 billion in public funds are
invested each year in the training and
education of service members
(Dept. of Defense).
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Market & Need
Impact
• 92% of consumers feel more
favorable toward companies that
hire employees with disabilities.
 Aging workforce.
 Increase in labor and skill demands.
 Employers are looking for new ways to
tap into all potential employees to remain
competitive.
 At the very same time, veterans with
disabilities are drastically unemployed
and underemployed, especially in the IT
arena.
 There is a clear dual need.
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• 73% of businesses report no cost
for accommodations.
• Hiring people with disabilities
ranks 3rd as an indicator of a
company’s commitment to social
justice.
• Employees with disabilities
retained on average 50% longer
than “traditional” workers.
• Reduced turnover -- estimated
cost of a single turnover is 93200% of annual salary.
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Filling the Dual Need
The Challenge: Employers often do not know
how to access veterans with disabilities. While
veterans with disabilities do not know how to
access employers.
The Solution: TecAccess’ DVET Program serves
as the conduit between both employers and
veterans with disabilities.
The Result: Employers secure highly skilled
employees by tapping into the veterans with
disabilities population. At the same time, vets
receive training and high paying employment.
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DVET – How it Began
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
First-of-its-kind pilot program, initially launched
in Virginia in 2007.

DVET has grown into a nationwide endeavor.

DVET is designed to ensure that veterans
receive support, job training, and placement.

Driven by a dynamic partnership: Virginia Dept.
of Veteran Services, Dept. of Rehabilitative
Services, Virginia Employment Commission,
and TecAccess.
www.TecAccess.net
How It Works
TecAccess was awarded a contract
to establish a program to train and
directly employ Virginia’s Disabled
Veterans (DVET) to become for
example:
 IT Professionals
 Procurement Specialists
 Web Designers
 Program Managers
“This partnership offers
an innovative approach
to increasing employment
for Virginia's disabled
veterans, guaranteeing
participants professional
training and employment
with TecAccess."
~~Governor Tim Kaine
 Business Analysts
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IMPACT
www.TecAccess.net
Applying DVET to the Accessibility Field
As the DVET program progressed, government
agencies and system integrators became interested
in veterans with disabilities working in accessibility roles.
Example, the VA IT Accessibility Standard, modeled after
Section 508.
As a result, DVET began to offer one training track for veterans
to serve as E&IT accessibility specialists to meet the growing
demand.
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DVET Training Model
 Veterans with disabilities face challenges, both physical and mental.
 DVET provides a mixture of :
o Training in assistive technology
o Online/virtual job training from the
veteran’s home
o Mentoring/follow-along support
in a unique career field
o Behavioral health support and
coaching
o Job placement
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www.TecAccess.net
Employer Recruiting
Student Entrance Process
You are
identified as a
Qualified
Candidate
Employer
determines
you are good
candidate for
their company
TecAccess
No
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Interview
Scheduled
Yes
TecAccess
Interview with
DVET Program
Manager or
Recruiter
You Prepare
Updated
Resume
1. Job offered-you must complete training!
2. Employer assigns you a sponsor
3. Schedule agreed-10 Hrs/week minimum;
you may be able to test out of some courses
4. Hire date with employer determined
5. You sign Student Agreement; Start training
Employer
Reviews
Resume
Graduate!
Employer
Interview
Arranged-You
travel or they will
travel to you
Start Job/Follow
Along Support
TecAccess seeks
new Employer
TecAccess provides Mentoring and Advisory Services throughout the program
www.TecAccess.net
What Makes DVET Work
 DVET fits into a telecommuting model
that allows participants to:
o work from the “safe” and secure
environment of their own home.
o excel in a working environment that
accommodates the new needs they
have.
 Alternatively, DVET helps transition their
skills and facilitates accommodation of
their special needs in an office setting.
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What Makes DVET Work
continued…
 Current job training programs fail due to the gap between providing
training and having a definite job offer at the end of training.
 By contrast, DVET success is measured by the employment of its
program graduates in a job with a competitive salary/growth
 The DVET collaboration with government and industry is a classic
example of matching a supply—veterans with disabilities looking for
an exciting career, with a demand—the ever increasing need for
skilled IT professionals.
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Employers Benefit from DVET
 Businesses and government agencies working with
DVET are receiving highly skilled employees.
 Organizations who hire these newly trained veterans
with disabilities are finding that they are:
 loyal employees
 self-motivated
 intelligent
 hardworking
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RESULTS
 DVET is more than a set of training modules
 A proven means of transitioning veterans with disabilities
from war zones or welfare to high-paying civilian careers
with full benefits
 Demonstrates commitment from government and
corporate America
 Is part of creating a veteran-friendly environment
 Substantial savings to public assistance programs
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DVET – RESULTS
continued…
Personal Stories
Students:
Raymond Kenney – PVA/DVET Liaison
Jonathon Ballard – Project Manager
Horace Booker – Emergency Dispatch Trainer
Instructors:
Rosemary Musachio – Lead Instructor
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DVET Expansion
 The DVET model for the State of
Virginia can and is being exported
for all companies nationwide
 Sustainable Model
 Easily Transferable
 Examples: ManTech and CSC
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Finding a “Win-Win”
 Public-private partnerships like DVET can
benefit:
o The government organizations that own the problem.
o The veterans with disabilities that need training and
employment.
o The companies facing increasing demand for skilled,
accessibility and certified IT workers.
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How To Emulate DVET
 Customize for each individual to
accommodate various disabilities and
modalities of instruction to train
veterans anywhere.
 Tele-work model.
 Assistive technology equipment.
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Making DVET Work for Others
o Understand the special challenges when training
veterans with disabilities for new careers:

Assessing the educational background they bring to training

Knowing the influence of the spouse and/or family on
commitment to training
o Understand the factors that lead hiring managers to
hesitate about extending job offers
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
Level of accommodation required

Liability concerns
www.TecAccess.net
Hiring Veterans with Disabilities
 Look within your organization for
employment opportunities.
 Create customized accommodations (which
do not have to be expensive).
 Highlight their success in your corporate
culture and internal/external communications
efforts.
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Provide Support During Transition
 Know that behavioral health support is
important.
 Seek a briefing from outside experts if
you are inexperienced with veterans
concerns.
 Engage your Employee Assistance
Program (EAP) early as a member of
the support team.
 Have HR liaise with veterans
organizations in your community.
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Conclusion
Using this methodology we all can:
 Engage newly disabled veterans
early in their rehabilitation process
 Reduce the negative impact of
disability on their lives.
 Give government and industry a
solution toward increasing the
quality and diversity of their
workforce while honoring and
supporting veterans for their
sacrifice.
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Conclusion
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
Under the DVET model, industry and
government directly give back to
Service Disabled Veterans.

At the same time, industry and
government receive well trained
employees in IT and related fields

Service Disabled Veterans are now
becoming integrated back into America’s
workforce.
www.TecAccess.net
Questions
Debra Ruh
Founder & Chairman
Rockville Commerce Center
2410 Granite Ridge Road
Rockville, VA 23146
(804) 749-8646
(804) 749-8897 - Fax
[email protected]
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“These training and employment
opportunities are far superior to many
other programs designed to help persons
with disabilities…we fully expect that this
program will serve as a model for future
programs that will address training and
employment for disabled veterans.”
~~Vincent M. Burgess, Commissioner
Department of Veterans Services for
the Commonwealth of Virginia