Veterans need jobs.

Companies need workers.

So how does Kentucky put the two together?

The Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board hopes symposiums like one this weekend for sales will help make it easier for vets to make the sometimes sometimes tricky transition to the civilian workplace.

Veterans.

We're hosting our second annual Veteran Employment and Training Symposium with partners at the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs.

Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Kentucky Chamber Foundation and also Department of Labor Vets program.

And all these partners came together and said, Hey, we need to figure out a way to promote the idea of veterans in the workplace and make sure employers have an avenue to hire and then grow their talent.

The first one that we did last year, it was a very spontaneous event where a couple of us were together talking about what the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board could do to highlight veterans and the transitioning service members.

Let's put them all in one room, bring in employers to share with them how they can use these different resources to get engaged with veterans and transitioning service members to get them employed so that we can attract more people back to Kentucky and keep those that we have.

We understand that a lot of companies are in great need of employees.

They're growing.

We see that as a great positive for the Commonwealth, but we also need to find out avenues that haven't been traditionally source.

And when companies are thinking of working to hire from, we often want to point them to what we call untapped talent pools.

One of those untapped talent pools are veterans and their spouses.

The cultural diversity of the military is very unique.

We are one of the most diverse cultures because of the nature of our business.

And then as we leave the military, we take those skills that we've learned in appreciating the value of each team member and how they work together and do different functions into the workplace where they can continue using their skills.

We need to get to the people.

I would share them with someone else earlier that the most important thing here is that this is what we have to learn and understand and get through to get in front of the people to serve them better.

And the people being the veterans.

Now.

I think the barriers are what the cultural understanding of what it takes to hire and develop and grow.

It's not just easy to post on indeed and hope that someone shows up to your door to apply.

And or it's about being able to reach out and find solutions through the resources available.

The feedback that I've received and heard has been incredible.

Employers are going, Are you kidding?

We can really do this.

We want to hire veterans.

We just don't know how.

And we're giving them that roadmap.

We're creating the pipeline.

We're looking for people who can come in and add to our culture and we can add to them as well.

So that's what I would tell anybody, especially the veterans, that, hey, we want you to be a part of our team because we value you as a member who can bring something to us and we can give something to you.

This is the second of these training symposiums.

The Kentucky Career Center has a special section dedicated to helping veterans and service members find jobs and opportunities.