“It got me a job with good benefits.  I learned new skills.”  Pablo Garcia, a recently separated veteran has a decent paying job and a home to live in thanks to Academic and Employment Services (AES) and their On the Job Training Veterans’ Program.

After finding it difficult to make ends meet and provide a suitable home for his family in a minimum wage job, Pablo re-evaluated his current employment and pro-actively investigated how he could make a change. Pablo found AES and he has received assistance with an employment development plan, educational goals and attended a workshop to gain employment information.  AES helped Pablo obtain a job at Kellog, Brown, and Root (KBR) working at the Navy Base.  Pablo has returned to school to pursue his education in law enforcement.  An AES Adult Job Developer was also able to assist Pablo find better housing for his family through a referral to the Housing Authority where veterans are given priority on the long list for public housing.  The Garcia Family personally thanked the Adult Job Developer for helping them with the resources to find a home.  “Without AES we would not have been able to move into a home.”

“This is the best Veteran’s program I’ve been in.  It gave me what I needed when I needed it.”  Lewis Humphery, a campaign veteran, gives credit to Academic and Employment (AES) for assisting him with some positive career changes.

In the past, Lewis has worked seasonally for the fairgrounds as a bartender and occasionally as an illustrator.  He wanted to make a change in his career interest in order to find better employment.  AES worked with Lewis to find his career interest, skills in law enforcement, and assisted him in finding a job.  He was placed at Pinkerton Security as a security guard and within three months Lewis was promoted to sergeant.  He continues his employment for Securitas Security Services, formerly Pinkerton Security in El Centro, California.

These are two of the many success stories that AES has due to the Veterans’ On-the-Job Training Program.  AES, formerly known as Youth Employment Services (YES), was well known for being heavily involved in youth work experience and training programs.  AES has also worked with adults and CAL-Works recipients in local employment training that included adult components and on-the-job training programs.  Since AES proved to be successful with the youth and adult programs they submitted a proposal to work with the veterans of Imperial County as well.  In 2003, AES was awarded $255,000 in state and local monies to fund the Veterans’ On-the-Job Training Program.

AES has completed its second year of funding in providing on-the-job training services to the U.S. military who are disabled, recently separated, served in a campaign, or have barriers to employment as defined in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) legislation.  AES has served 90 veterans in the two years and 72% of their veterans entered employment.  Of those veterans that have been placed, 85% continue to work in the same placement or have moved to better paying positions with other companies.  Due to this success, AES has been rated as an agency that has met or exceeded performance with regard to the number of placements, six-month retentions, and client satisfaction.

ICOE would like to acknowledge AES for their achievement through the Veterans’ On-the-Job Training Program and congratulate the veterans who have taken advantage of the services AES has to offer.