State Exceeds Veterans Business Contract Goal
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA report from the Indiana Department of Administration shows the state has more than doubled its target for Indiana Veterans Business Enterprises contracts. Just over six percent of total contracts, totaling $16.7 million, were awarded to IVBEs between July 2013 and September 2014. The department also unveiled an online tool to help Hoosier veterans transition into a civilian job.
November 10, 2014
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Governor Mike Pence today announced that the State of Indiana awarded 6.02 percent of its state contracts to Indiana Veterans Business Enterprises (IVBEs), doubling its goal of 3 percent, according to report just released by the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA). The IDOA awarded a total of $16,686,291 to 62 IVBEs between July 2013 and September 2014.
Governor Pence set a 3 percent state contracting goal with IVBE's through his Roadmap for Indiana and signed Executive Order 13-04 on his first day in office to establish that goal. Governor Pence signed SEA 564 into law on April 25, 2013, which put that 3 percent goal into statute. More information about the IVBE Program can be found here.
“Home to nearly a half million Hoosier veterans, Indiana is more than thrilled to have surpassed this objective,” said Governor Pence. “We are indebted to those who have served our country and are firmly committed to connecting our veteran business owners with economic opportunities throughout the state of Indiana.”
In addition to the State's procurement efforts, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today unveiled the Virtual Career Counselor for Veterans, an online tool to help Hoosier veterans use the skills they gained in the military to transition into a civilian job or to find a new career pathway. This interactive tool matches a veteran's military job with current occupations and also estimates the preparation time required to transition from one occupation into another, while providing insight into the most in-demand, high paying careers in the job market.
The Virtual Career Counselor for Veterans, available at www.hoosierdata.in.gov, by clicking on the “Virtual Career Counselor for Veterans” banner, was developed in collaboration with Indiana University's Business Research Center. Once on the website, Hoosier veterans can select their service branch and enter their MOS or MOC code. The site then generates a list that links Hoosier veterans to job opportunities currently available through IndianaCareerConnect.com, Indiana's online job source, and suggests other relevant career pathways and the length of time in weeks to transition into another career.
Recently, the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs announced it would host free Community Outreach events over the next several weeks that will offer veterans, active duty members, and their dependents opportunities to connect with services and prospective employers. A list of upcoming dates and locations for these events can be found attached. Events have already been held in Valparaiso, South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Terre Haute.
Source: The State of Indiana