Sherrill Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Help Service Members Access Good-Paying Jobs After Leaving the Military
Watch the full event here
MADISON, NJ – Yesterday, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill joined academic leaders, statewide advocates and organizations, and local elected officials at Fairleigh Dickinson University to introduce two bipartisan bills, co-led by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), that will help expand educational and job opportunities for service members who are transitioning back to civilian life. Rep. Sherrill’s legislation would help to address workforce shortages throughout New Jersey, connect servicemembers to high-quality Registered Apprenticeship positions and New Jersey’s globally-renowned colleges and universities, and set veterans up for long-term success.
“I know as a veteran that the transition to civilian life for many of our service members is not an easy one – and it’s our responsibility to ensure that no veteran is left behind. That’s why I am excited to introduce commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will connect veterans with our world class colleges, universities, and businesses to help them gain the skills and experience that are critical for obtaining stable, good-paying jobs. Not only will this legislation support our veterans, but it will also help address the workforce shortages that businesses are facing across the Garden State.” said Rep. Sherrill. “I want to thank Fairleigh Dickinson for their long history of supporting veterans and for hosting us yesterday.”
“As a ten-year Navy veteran, I’m well aware of the critical training the SkillBridge Program provides our men and women in uniform as they make the often-difficult transition from service to civilian life,” said Rep. Kiggans. “By looking for existing areas for improvement and encouraging both businesses and universities to participate in the program, this legislation would provide our military members with a range of choices in the professional world and ensure our businesses and universities are able to connect with qualified candidates. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Sherrill on this bipartisan measure, which I hope will improve opportunities for American servicemembers, colleges, and businesses!”
"Veterans who have served our country deserve meaningful career opportunities,” said William C. Sproule, Executive-Secretary Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. “The Skillbridge Program will connect returning service members with the Carpenters Union’s registered apprenticeship program, which provides them with employment opportunities with over 2,500 of EAS Carpenters Union signatory contractors. Our contractors have a proven track record of recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans. Through the EAS Carpenters Union and our signatory union contractors, veterans receive world-class training, fair pay, excellent benefits, and a clear path to the dignified retirement they deserve. The Skillbridge Program also establishes the critical connection veterans need as they prepare for post-military careers. The Carpenters Technical School is a college-accredited trade school that offers the world-class training veterans need to thrive as they transition from service to civilian life. Veterans receive ongoing no-cost education, earn a living wage with benefits, and retire with dignity. The EAS Carpenters Union is committed to ensuring veterans have the professional skills they need to build a secure future for themselves and their families as union carpenters.”
“We applaud Rep. Sherrill for continuing to fight for our service members to have better transitions to civilian life. Improving Skillbridge is not only important for our veterans and economy, but it helps us bridge the gap between veterans and civilians in our own communities,” said With Honor Action Legislative Director Tom Seaman. “Veterans put their lives on the line to protect our country, it’s our responsibility to guarantee they have every resource needed to be successful when they get back home.”
“The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) fully supports Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s two bills – The College Opportunities for Servicemembers Act and The Servicemember Apprenticeship Act,” said NJMEP CEO Peter Connolly. “NJMEP through the Pentagon’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) was awarded a 5 year grant to train outboarding veterans and their families for manufacturing positions within New Jersey’s manufacturing companies. NJMEP developed the New Jersey Manufacturing Defense Community Consortium (NJDMCC) which works with veterans and places them within NJ defense manufacturers. With partners like Picatinny Arsenal, County College of Morris (CCM), and Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst (JBMDL) the program already has 120 participants going through the NJDMCC program. NJMEP will continue to support Rep. Sherrill’s bills to highlight how New Jersey and the Nation support our valued resource – our Veterans.”
“The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) supports Representative Sherrill in her efforts to help our military veterans secure good paying jobs as they leave service to our country,” said CIANJ President Anthony Russo. “Any initiative which helps strengthen our workforce and helps our military veterans should be lauded and supported across the board, we commend Representative Sherrill for leading this effort.”
“We are pleased and honored to host this event,” said Fairleigh Dickinson University President Michael J. Avaltroni. “Since our founding, FDU has deeply valued the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans and we have made serving those who have served a profound part of our mission. Today we are widely recognized as among the best colleges for veterans and so we are especially proud to host Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill as she introduces this important legislation that will strongly complement and enhance the efforts of FDU and other educational institutions to support our veterans.”
The bipartisan Service Member Apprenticeship Act and College Opportunities for Service Members Act are both co-sponsored by Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), Colin Allred (D-TX-32), Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Don Davis (D-NC-01), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Andy Kim (D-NJ-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02). They have both been endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Steelworkers International Union, Semiconductor Industry Association, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Steamfitters Local 475, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, With Honor, and New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program.
The Department of Defense currently supports service members transitioning out of the military through the Skillbridge Program, which allows those service members to take part in civilian internship opportunities during their last 180 days of service.
The Service Member Apprenticeship Act will expand the number of high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs that are available to service members in the Skillbridge Program. The legislation requires that the Department of Defense identify which participating companies within the Skillbridge Program offer registered apprenticeship programs, and which Skillbridge locations lack access to Registered Apprenticeship positions. The legislation also directs the Departments of Defense and Labor to work together to bring new companies that have already existing Registered Apprenticeship programs into the Skillbridge network.
The College Opportunities for Service Members Act instructs the Department of Defense to reach out to community colleges and four year, non-profit colleges and universities to support their entrance into the Skillbridge Program as Skillbridge program providers. The legislation also supports the creation of Centers for Military and Veterans Education, which will provide dedicated resources to transitioning service members and veterans to connect them with job training and in-demand careers.
As a Navy veteran and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congresswoman Sherrill is working to support our service members and veterans, while making sure that New Jersey is a place where businesses can grow, create jobs, and thrive.
###