BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - Virginia Tech has been awarded a statewide Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Governor's Award for hiring more veterans than any other state agency in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
There are 65 state agencies, including 39 colleges and universities.
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During the 2014-15 fiscal year, the university hired 104 veterans in a variety of full and part-time staff, professional, teaching, research, and wage positions in various locations across the state.
As the military begins to downsize, the number of service members leaving the military is increasing. Virginia Tech said they've expanded its efforts to help veterans find employment at the university.
In addition to attending dozens of job fairs across the country and spending time working with unemployed veterans locally, the university's human resources professionals work closely with the Virginia Employment Commission offices in Radford, Roanoke, and Wytheville to identify veterans seeking post service employment opportunities.
The hiring initiative is one of many initiatives Virginia Tech has implemented to focus on the needs of veterans:
- Last month, employees came together to form the university's first veterans caucus to network and advocate for student and employee veterans.
- In April 2015, the U.S. Small Business Administration selected Virginia Tech to host a one-day Boots to Business entrepreneurial workshop for past and present service members and their dependents.
- In 2013, Virginia Tech became the first public university in the state to become certified as a Virginia Values Veterans employer.
- In 2010, students formed the university's first student veterans organization.
- In 2010, the Department of Human Resources established the Vet-to-Vet program to assist veterans looking for job opportunities at Virginia Tech.
- The university has consistently been recognized as a Military Friendly School.