CSU SB Offers Vets/Military "Troops to Trades" Program

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CSU, San Bernardino Offers Veterans, Military “Troops to Trades” Program

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Veterans and active duty military personnel can learn valuable skills and gain important work experience through a new program at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). “Troops to Trades” provides 6-12 month internships in the university’s facilities services department to help interns prepare for the open job market. CSU, San Bernardino is the pilot site of the CSU 23-campus program.

The program is a collaboration between the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA), and the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

“CalVet works to ensure veterans and their families move successfully from military to civilian life. Helping them acquire job skills and work experience that will allow them to effectively compete for jobs is an important part of that,” said CalVet Secretary Peter J. Gravett. “CalVet is proud to be a part of this joint effort and looks forward to seeing the program expand to CSU universities system wide.”

The first veteran to participate in the program, David Aleman of Grand Terrace, began an internship on September 23 at CSUSB’s facilities services-heating and air conditioning department to learn the skills of a building service engineer with the goal of becoming an apprentice. A U.S. Army combat veteran who served in Iraq and Kuwait for 15 months, Aleman is learning about building and campus central plant heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems through his work with a senior building service engineer.

“When we were asked to be a pilot campus, we were eager and excited to help with this program,” said Tony Simpson, senior director of facilities services at CSUSB. “The logistics of setting up this program was a bit challenging, but in close partnership with the CSU Chancellor’s office and Veterans Affairs, we were able to start this program at CSUSB.”

Under the USDVA Chapter 31 Vocational Employment Program, the non-paid work experience internship provides vocational training for veterans. In the agreement with the CSU, the program requires the veteran to volunteer as an apprentice at a participating campus. The internship, provided at no cost to the hiring agency, gives eligible veterans and active duty personnel training and practical job experience, while the interns earn a subsistence allowance from the USDVA.

“Our partnership has opened the doors for veterans who are ready and able to apply themselves for strong reintegration into the civilian workforce,” said John Kraft, director of CalVet field operations in Sacramento.

According to the partnering agencies, the program is ideal for veterans or active duty personnel who have a clearly established career goal and learn easily in a hands-on environment. It is also well suited for veterans who are having difficulty obtaining employment because of a lack of work experience.

“The program adds to the campus maintenance staff while saving the university about $58,000 per apprentice,” said Harvey DeLorm, apprenticeship coordinator at the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

James Malone, USDVA Long Beach vocational counselor and internship coordinator, was instrumental in securing the partnership agreement and said that the program has successfully placed more than 85 veterans in internships at various local, state and federal agencies since 2011. Thirty-six of these individuals gained employment within the last 12 months alone.

For more information about the CSU Troops to Trades program, contact Harvey DeLorm, apprenticeship coordinator at the CSU Chancellor’s Office, at hdelorm@calstate.edu.

For information specifically about a CSUSB internship, contact Tony Simpson, senior director of facilities services, at tsimpson@csusb.edu, call CSUSB’s Office of Public Affairs at (909) 537-5007, or visit http://news.csusb.edu.