Enable America Honors Military Veterans with Job Opportunity Programs

Tampa, FL, November 11, 2011 --(PR.com)-- In conjunction with Veteran’s Day, Enable America, a non-profit organization devoted to improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, has launched its third annual series of programs devoted to disabled veterans and wounded warriors. The programs are part of the group’s month long observance of “Disabled Veterans Employment Mentoring Month.”

“We increasingly find more employers wanting to help those who have paid a price in defending liberty, both disabled veterans and the wounded warriors who are most recently returning from Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Richard Salem, founder and CEO of Enable America. “Enable America is proud that for the third straight year we can focus this month’s events on this very deserving portion of the American population.”

Enable America provides year-round programming and support to all people with life altering disabilities who seek meaningful employment. This month its Path to Employment Program (PEP) will provide veteran participants valuable tools, resources, mentors, and professional human resource “Career Coaches” to aid and enhance their job searches.

“We have developed two programs which we have found provide the greatest assistance when the unemployment rate is high,” said Enable America Program Manager Steve LaBour. “First is our ‘Career Mentoring Days’ which match mentors from local companies with mentees from the community, disabled veterans and wounded warriors to help the veteran learn more about their career interests and add to their network of individuals who can help land a job. Second, is our Job Seekers Workshops, taught by human resource professionals, who become ‘Career Coaches’ assigned to each of the participants.”

The workshops provide the veterans comprehensive training on resume and cover letter writing; how to fill out on-line job applications; how to “de-militarize” their resumes; how to dress for an interview; tips on how to interview; and how to translate their skills, talents and military experience into a civilian job and career.

“While this is the right month to focus on this initiative, we won’t limit our outreach to just November,” LaBour said. “Enable America coordinates employment mentoring and Job Seeker Workshops year-round, and we’ll continue to make the connections between employers who wish to diversify and enrich their workforce with those with disabilities who are ready, willing and able to work.”

Companies participating in Enable America’s “Disabled Veterans Employment Mentoring” programs include: Progress Energy, North Carolina; Progress Energy, Florida; SAS, Cary, NC; Clark Construction, San Antonio, TX; Gerdau of Florida, the City of Tampa, FL., Rackspace Hosting, San Antonio, TX; WRAL, Raleigh, NC; Eaton Corporation, Raleigh; Rex Healthcare, Raleigh; WakeMed, Raleigh; Marriott Hotels, San Antonio, TX; IBM, Research Triangle Park NC.

Agencies and Government Departments, Colleges and Universities that assisted in providing veteran participants include: Placement Works, St. Petersburg, FL, VetSuccess, St. Petersburg, FL, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2), Tampa, FL; VA VR&E in Raleigh, NC, Durham VA Medical Center, NC; VA VR&E in Tampa, Florida; Texas; Wake Tech, Raleigh, NC; Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, Tampa, FL, North Carolina Employment Security Commission (ESC).

More information can be found at the organization's website, EnableAmerica.org.

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