|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
|
State Rep. Michael
McGeehan |
|
McGeehan touts program offering veterans transition to construction trades
HARRISBURG, March 3 – State Rep. Mike McGeehan, D-Phila., today said veterans returning from active duty and National Guard and Reserve service looking into a career should check out the opportunities available through the national Helmets to Hardhats program.
McGeehan said the free program, which Pennsylvania has been actively involved with for four years, connects Guard, Reserve and transitioning active-duty military members with career training and employment opportunities in the construction trades.
The Commonwealth’s participation has included providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grants to the program. Nationwide, the building and construction trades unions, employers and state joint apprenticeship training committees offer more than 86,000 job-training and career-training opportunities through the program.
"The Pennsylvania chapter of Helmets to Hardhats has its own director who provides additional assistance and career counseling beyond that of the national initiative for veterans, Guard members and Reservists returning to civilian life," McGeehan said. "The goal of the program is to assist them in a transition to good-paying jobs in growing industries here in Pennsylvania.”
Interested veterans and members of the military should access the Helmets to Hardhats Web site at www.helmetstohardhats.org to register. In addition, they can contact the state's local Helmets to Hardhats director at 1-800-381-7617. An online link to Pennsylvania Helmets to Hardhats is provided on McGeehan’s Web site, www.pahouse.com/McGeehan.
###jp/2008/agh
l:\print\releases\helmetshardhats.173