Article first appeared at www.nc.gov
North Carolina veterans now have new tools available to help them find jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today just ahead of Veterans Day and Employ a Veteran Week. The North Carolina Department of Commerce has developed the NCWorks Veterans Portal – located at veterans.ncworks.gov – to help both job seekers and employers.
“We’re grateful for veterans’ service to our nation, and proud that so many veterans choose to call North Carolina home when they leave the military,” Gov. Cooper said. “This new portal gives veterans a direct way to connect critical skills and experience gained through military service to new careers in high-demand fields, and it will also connect North Carolina employers looking to hire these proven hard workers.”
The NCWorks Veterans Portal is part of Governor Cooper’s NC Job Ready strategy to prepare North Carolinians for the jobs of today and tomorrow. NC Job Ready has three core principles: skills and education attainment, employer leadership to remain relevant to evolving industry needs, and local innovation to take great ideas and apply them statewide.
Designed specifically with veterans in mind, the NCWorks Veterans Portal features tabs that provide quick access to employment services, job fairs, education/training options, helpful tips and other resources. In addition, a tab for employers helps businesses recruit candidates with military experience.
“The new NCWorks Veterans Portal is an excellent example of our state’s innovative efforts to enhance services to those North Carolinians who have served our country in the armed services,” Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland said. “As the nation prepares to celebrate Veterans Day, we should recommit ourselves to the cause of connecting our veterans to training and employment opportunities so that they can use their talents and skills in new careers.”
The portal incorporates veterans’ Military Occupation Codes in an easy-to-use job search tool, so that users can find job postings that match their prior experience and training from any of the five branches of the armed services. Veterans who already have NCWorks Online accounts will use those same login credentials on this new portal. The site also helps veterans find their nearest NCWorks Career Center, where they can access free services in person and talk with professionals who specialize in helping veterans.
“This portal is another tool that we will have in our toolbox as we move forward to meet our goals of retaining the top military talent as they transition into civilian life, and being the most veteran-friendly state in the United States,” said Archie Barrow, director of the Veteran Employment and Training Service for the N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions and a United States Army veteran. “North Carolina again is leading the nation in innovation.”
Home to nearly 800,000 veterans and several major military installations, North Carolina has a distinguished history in serving the U.S. military, veterans and their families. The Division of Workforce Solutions provides job seeker services for veterans, transitioning service members, and eligible spouses.