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The Workforce Development Partnership (WDP) between Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and North Iowa Area Community College offers veteran services to help put Iowa veterans to work.

With all of the skills veterans acquire in the military, one of the biggest challenges can be deciding how and where their military skills will transfer into this new job market.  The WDP can help veterans make the leap as well as tackle other issues by using the resources of the IWD Center.

“Our effort to help veterans in search of jobs is one of the most important things we do,” Nancy Bair, IWD Center director, said.  “Through our veteran priority of service, veterans have first choice when accessing individual classes or programs at the IWD Center.  Our veteran services work to match veterans’ skills with jobs and help veterans succeed.”

The veteran priority of services allows veterans to go to the front of any waiting list for any class and holds reserved slots for veterans in specific program offerings such as IWD Center computer classes.  Other veteran services offered by the WDP include assessment tools to evaluate veterans’ skills and interests; one-on-one confidential counseling for job assistance, personal and family needs (food, clothing and shelter); an automated system to contact veterans about potential job openings; information on the availability of jobs in a specific field and assistance in contacting employers regarding job openings; access to programs, classes and videos to assist in work search; special assistance available on a case-by-case basis for veterans with disabilities or those facing serious barriers to finding employment (assistance is also available to other veterans on a case-by-case basis); and information and referral services to outside support agencies for veterans and veterans’ families.

The WDP has earned the Veteran Incentive Award for outstanding service to Iowa’s veteran community for the past two years and was the top scoring One Stop in the state this year.

The IWD Center also offers clients internet access, computer software, placement assistance, office equipment availability, unemployment insurance and printed resources.

For more information about veteran services offered through the WDP, contact Bair at 641-422-1521.

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