Regional
(2009-12-16)
GREELEY, CO
(KUNC) -
Making the transition from military life to a civilian career can be challenging, even in good economic times. Today, a program that helps veterans find training and placement for construction jobs got some recognition from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. The federally funded "Helmets to Hardhats" was created in 2003. It works with the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council to help steer returning veterans to construction jobs, including plumbing, electrical work and carpentry. Even with a marked slowdown in the housing market over the past few years, the program was hailed today by Governor Ritter.
"You know, we're looking forward now to five or six years where we believe there will be economic growth," he said. "It could be slow economic growth, but there's a projection out there that says construction jobs in this country could increase by two million over the next five or six years."
Veterans now make up about 10 percent of Colorado's unemployed. The governor touted the program during stop at Fort Carson this morning as part of a tour of Southern Colorado. He also spent part of the day in Pueblo discussing the economic recovery, and signed an executive order encouraging state agencies to buy American-made products for stimulus-funded construction projects.
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