Gov. Scott Announces Kick-Off of Statewide Paychecks for Patriots Events for Florida Veterans

ORLANDO, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the kick-off of the 2016 Paychecks for Patriots, which matches up veterans with great careers in their communities. In recognition of Veterans Day, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is partnering with the CareerSource Florida network, the Florida National Guard, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs and participating Florida employers to connect veterans and their families with job opportunities. Governor Scott has also declared November 7-11 as Paychecks for Patriots week.

Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is proud to be the most military and veteran–friendly state in the nation, and we work hard to honor our many veterans and military members for their service and sacrifice. The annual Paychecks for Patriots events are a great way to give back to our heroes and their families by providing more opportunities to find meaningful employment so they can live the American Dream they work so hard to protect.”

CareerSource regions across the state will be hosting Paychecks for Patriots events in November, tobuild connections between veteran jobseekers and Florida’s job creators. The employers will include national companies, as well as many local employers. More than 1,700 military and veteran candidates and their family members who participated in the events across the state have gained employment as a result of prior Paychecks for Patriots.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Cissy Proctor said, “I was honored to attend the Paychecks for Patriots event at CareerSource Escarosa last week, where I saw first-hand the positive impact these events make in the lives of Florida’s veteran and military communities. The Paychecks for Patriots events match veterans and their families with employers who value the skills, knowledge and attributes our veterans have attained during their military service. These events are part of our ongoing effort to make Florida the most military-friendly and veteran-friendly state in the nation.”

The CareerSource Florida network includes more than 175 workforce professionals statewide, themselves veterans, who are dedicated specifically to assisting other veterans with finding employment year-round. These professionals include specialists who provide intensive services to meet the needs of veterans with service-related disabilities. Last year, the CareerSource Florida network assisted more than 19,600 veterans who secured jobs.

CareerSource Florida President and CEO Chris Hart IV said, “Florida benefits from the third-highest military veteran population in the country through veterans’ contributions and those of their family members to our workforce and our communities. These talented individuals are invaluable additions to any employer’s team, and we sincerely appreciate the national and local businesses participating in this year’s Paychecks for Patriots hiring fairs as well as the CareerSource Florida network partners who dedicate their time, year-round, to connecting veterans with great careers.”

 Events will be held across Florida during the month of November. More details are available at http://floridajobs.org/paychecksforpatriots.