LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Department of Veteran and Military Affairs has rolled back restrictions for veterans coming out of active duty and into the workforce. The initiative was created to create job opportunities to veterans in the state of Michigan by opening up thousands of job opportunities for veterans at an E-6 rank or above.
At the beginning of enlistment, recruits start at an E-1 rank, and can gain promotions from there. This initiative would allow veterans who have 2 or more years of experience at at least the E-6 rank to qualify for state jobs that would normally require a bachelor’s degree.
The DMVA worked with The Michigan Civil Service Commission to revise job requirements and explain the work done within active duty that qualifies veterans with higher ranks for higher level positions.
Division Administrator, Todd Butler, with The DMVA explained that without an active duty base in Michigan, they hope to attract more veterans coming off of active duty to the state to work and start a career post-enlistment.
“I think that this is going to go a long ways in helping to attract that talent coming out of that active component of the military” Butler said. “These are the people who are in charge of groups, whether it’s squads, sections, platoons, they run offices. They be like that the middle manager of a corporate or civilian office where they do supervise staff on a regular basis”
More about the initiative here: www.michigan.gov/mvaa/news/2023/10/04/state-of-michigan-initiative-opens-up-thousands-of-job-opportunities-for-veterans
Butler explained that some E-6 veterans tend to have 7 to 12 years of experience within the military, He says this program will help them find positions with the pay and responsibilities they’re used to.
“There is great hope and expectation that this is going to start attract a lot of those professionals coming out of active duty into Michigan to start applying for these really good jobs.” Butler explained. “We in the agency argued that these folks at the E-6 level and above have that exact same experience and education [as individuals with bachelors degrees].So they no longer have to come out of the military and then go get their degree and then get some post degree experience in order to qualify. We’re recognizing the fact that these are professionals in their craft”
Butler says this initiative could be a game changer for veterans in the state, to help them create more stable lives and careers in Michigan, using their experience from their service.
