By Rebecca Perron,
Military Newspapers of Virginia

The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is an invaluable resource for transitioning service members who require assistance with job searches and recruiting and referral services to employers. The VEC was established to assist workers in finding suitable jobs and to assist employers in finding qualified workers. The commission falls under the scope of the Department of Labor and has a counterpart that provides similar services in every state throughout the country.

The VEC’s goal is to promote economic growth and stability by delivering and coordinating workforce services that includes job referral and placement, temporary income support, referral to training, and job search skill building activities.

During an average program year, employers placed hundreds of thousands of employment openings. As the largest single source of job candidates in Virginia – averaging around a half million annually – the VEC staff assists employers and applicants alike by screening and referring applicants for job vacancies.

Jack Cooper is the local veterans’ employment representative who is employed by the VEC and works full time at Naval Station Norfolk’s Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC). A representative is also available part time at the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek FFSC.

With his office located at the FFSC, Cooper offers a convenient outreach, geographically located closer to the people who are transitioning to civilian employment to provide easier access to the VEC’s services.

“I can give veterans and their family members personal, one-on-one service,” Cooper said. “I see hundreds of people over the course of a month. Clients can walk in or schedule an appointment. The services offered here are about the same as a regular VEC office, but a little more streamlined.

“I help initiate the use of the system and manage the system,” Cooper continued. “As I see jobs that match my clients’ skills, I bring them to their attention. I can also incorporate employers into the search that give veterans preferences and help match them up. And although I am not an unemployment benefits claims expert, I can still help in this area and point a client in the right direction.”

Cooper, along with VEC representatives at other VEC offices, specializes in employment placement, job matching, career coaching and detecting barriers to employment.

“I assess their skills and help match them to a job,” Cooper said. “To get started, clients should bring their resume and fill out the job registration form, which includes work and education history, as well as skills and abilities. Most complete the application online, but we also have a paper version for those who are not familiar with using a computer.”

There are three ways the VEC job placement data base can work for the client.

“First, the client can do an initial job search using key words and geographic location,” Cooper explained. “Second, I can assist them with this process. Third, employers can scan the resumes of clients and look for a potential employee.”

Employers are able to review resumes by keyword, experience level and information contained in the body of the resume. They can retrieve the resume and contact the client. This service began in November and is actively marketed by VEC representatives to get the word to employers statewide.

Cooper also keeps up with the local job fair scene as another avenue to help clients find potential employers.

“I attend one or two job fairs a month to find job seekers,” Cooper said. “I network with employers, colleges and vocational schools. In the Hampton Roads area, more fairs occur in the spring and fall then during the summer and winter.”

The VEC can also provide labor market information for the local area, as well as an area a client may be moving to after leaving active duty. This information is available through the State Employment Security Agencies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We list many employers, expected salary ranges and unemployment history,” Cooper explained. “We can also help with the research for transitioning to a new job skill area.”

For people to really benefit the use of the VEC system, Cooper recommends clients contact him several times.

“I want to make sure they remember everything from the initial interview I have with them,” Cooper said. “I can continually assess their skills at marketing themselves and help them continue job searches.”

In addition to the services offered by Cooper, the VEC has 40 offices statewide and offers access to their services 24 hours a day through their website.