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SBA partners with veterans employment program

KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News

Published: May 24, 2018

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced this week a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to give service members access to self-employment assistance to kickstart any untapped entrepreneurial spirit in the ranks of American heroes.

The agreement with the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program will draw expertise from the SBA, its resource partners and U.S. Export Assistance Centers, according to a press release announcing the partnership.

The collaborative effort was planned to prepare veterans, service-disabled veterans and service members for self-employment with access to networking events, job-seeking skills, coaching and entrepreneurship training.

"Veterans are extremely resilient as a result of their time serving in the military," Associate Administrator of SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development Barb Carson said in a prepared statement. "This is why they are great candidates for self-employment - and why prepping them to take on the venture is of utmost importance."

She said the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program plays such an integral role in veteran business owners' journeys.

"I can't wait to see the progress we're able to achieve together," she added.

The SBA was created to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support necessary to start and grow their businesses. The extensive, nationwide network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations gives the organization ample reach to deliver services to entrepreneurs everywhere.

"We're excited to take this interagency effort to the next level through this partnership," said Jack Kammerer, Director of the Veterans Administration's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. "Both SBA and VA provide important resources for veterans and service members to take on the next step in their career - and their civilian lives.

"Together, we can set them up for success should they decide self-employment is next for them."

The VA and SBA plan to train local staff on services available through partnering agencies and also facilitate appropriate referrals and on national, regional and local levels.

Fore more information about the resources offered by SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development and the Veterans Administration's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, visit sba.gov/ovbd or benefits.va.gov/vocrehab.

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