Contact: ESD Janelle Guthrie, 360-902-9289 or jguthrie@esd.wa.gov
               WDVA Heidi Audette, 360-725-2154 or heidia@dva.wa.gov

YAKIMA — Leaders of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and Employment Security Department (ESD) joined with area businesses, veterans and legislators today in Yakima to celebrate the third anniversary of YesVets, a statewide veterans hiring program.

Rep. Gina Mosbrucker from Goldendale sponsored the legislation and helped launch YesVets as a demonstration project in the Yakima area in 2016. The program, designed to help employers understand the value of veterans’ skills and get more veterans hired in the general market, has quickly spread. Now, any employer in the state can sign up and begin hiring veterans through the program.

Since its launch in February 2016, more than 700 businesses have hired nearly 3,000 veterans.

“We’re thrilled to be a partner in this important effort to connect veterans with Washington businesses,” said ESD Commissioner Suzi LeVine. “If you’re thinking about hiring a veteran, but aren’t sure where to start, simply contact WorkSource. Our veteran staff are experts in the labor market and can help you recruit and hire the right veteran talent.”

“It’s exciting to see businesses get involved in the YesVets program,” said WDVA Director, Lourdes E. “Alfie” Alvarado-Ramos. “Veterans make incredible employees and helping connect them to jobs is truly one of the best ways that we can thank them for their service!”

The event honored businesses and government agencies who had received their YesVets recognition to date, including several local businesses present:

• Mission Support Alliance
• Perry Technical Institute
• Phoenix Protective Corporation
• Yakima County
• Yakima Training Center, U.S. Department of Defense

The event also spotlighted the 12 winners of the ESD 2017 Hire-a-Vet Award—one from each workforce development area:

• McLaughlin Research Corporation — This engineering and technical support company in Keyport hired 15 veterans in 2017 – which represents 37 percent of its workforce in Washington.
• Department of Licensing — This state agency has employed more than 40 veterans since February 2016, 18 of which were hired in 2017. No other company or agency in the Olympia area hired more veterans through WorkSource in 2017.
• Janicki Industries — This high-precision parts and tooling company in Sedro Woolley hired 25 veterans in 2017.
• Comcast Service Center — The center in Lynnwood worked with WorkSource to recruit and hire 12 veterans in 2017. Comcast used com to promote job openings and attended numerous veteran-focused hiring events in Snohomish County in 2017. As a result, Comcast named its Washington Recruiting Region #1 in the nation.
• G4S Secure Solutions (USA) — This federal contractor employs roughly 400 security professionals in Seattle, 36 percent of which were veterans at the time of the award. G4S Secure Solutions hired 56 veterans in 2017 alone.
• Pierce County — Pierce County made a concerted effort to recruit and hire veterans in 2017, hiring 26 veterans to a variety of high-paying positions.
• ADD Security Inc. — This Vancouver-based security firm reached out to WorkSource for the first time in 2017 to recruit qualified veterans. As of November 2017, the company had hired nine veterans, representing 81 percent of its workforce.
• McCain Foods — This potato-products company in Othello employs roughly 500 employees, 25 percent of which are veterans. McCain participates every year in the local Veteran Job & Resource Fair and recently sponsored a POW/MIA event that raised $18,000 for the Fisher House and Thomas A. Biddle Foundation to assist veterans. 
• Shields Bag and Printing — This family-owned business ­­hired 17 veterans in 2017 – more than any other private-sector employer in the area.  Most veteran employees start off at $16 per hour and can promote up to positions making up to $22 per hour. Shields Bag and Printing is a proud sponsor of the Yakima County Veterans Stand Down. 
• Boise Cascade — Boise Cascade is the largest employer in Stevens County with some 400 employees. The company hired nine veterans in 2017 and continues to focus on veteran recruitment strategies. Veterans consistently occupy more than 5 percent of its positions.
• CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company — CH2M hired 30 veterans in 2017, is a strong partner of WorkSource Columbia Basin and frequently participates in local hiring events and workshops that help veterans.
• Patronus Services, Inc. — This security firm provides highly trained security professionals for U.S. federal buildings from Yakima to Coeur’d Alene. It employs 49 veterans in Washington, which is 88 percent of its total workforce.

Representatives of CH2M Hill and Shields Bag and Printing attended the event and received recognition.

How YesVets works

YesVets publicly recognizes employers who actively recruit and hire veterans. By creating a business environment that values employers who commit to hiring veterans, YesVets hopes to continue decreasing veteran unemployment. The YesVets decal presented to employers who have hired a veteran also provides a very public way for both customers and veterans to see that the business supports veterans.

Enrolling in YesVets is quick and easy. Employers simply visit www.yesvets.org and enter basic business and contact information. Their local veterans employment representative contacts them directly to help them use the WorkSourceWA.com job match site built and powered by Monster. Once the employer has hired a veteran, their local veteran’s employment representative presents them with their YesVets decal to proudly display on their business window.

More information:

• www.yesvets.org
• www.dva.wa.gov
• www.esd.wa.gov

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