AUGUSTA, Maine — Employers participating in 2017’s Maine Hire-A-Vet Campaign hired 296 veterans and military family members during its 100-day initiative, the Maine Department of Labor said Feb. 8.
One-hundred-and-fifty-four employers from all 16 Maine counties participated in the campaign, which launched Labor Day and ended Dec. 13, 2017. The MDOL collected data into January due to the length of hiring processes. The average reported placement wage was $23.16 per hour.
“We are beyond thrilled with the results of this campaign,” stated Adria Horn, director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services which co-sponsored the campaign. “The hiring of 296 veterans and their family members far exceeded our expectations and is a testament not only to the value of the program, but also the significant contributions our veterans make to the workforce.”
The campaign provides support for employers to expand the hiring of veterans, including a network of state and federal agencies, resources and nonprofits, education on military language and culture, assistance with recruiting, hiring, assimilation and retention, and recognition for the hiring and advancement of veterans.
The 2017 campaign saw increases from the 2016 campaign by six participating employers, 101 hires and 93 cents per hour in average wage. Of the 296 total hires, 275 were veterans and 21 were military family members. Women veteran hires were 52 of the 275 reported (roughly 20 percent). Female veterans make up 10 percent of Maine’s total veteran population.
Participating employers were not required to hire veterans or military family members they interviewed in order to be a part of the campaign.
The Maine Hire-A-Vet Campaign is co-sponsored by MDOL and its CareerCenters, Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, Boots2Roots, Easter Seals and its Veterans Count program, Live+Work in Maine, Transition Assistance Advisors, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E), VA Office of Rural Health, and Veterans Inc.
