I am excited to share the Department of Labor’s announcement today of a $1M challenge, in collaboration with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to build a better application to match the skills of those who have served in the military with employer needs. https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osec/osec20191211
The Government wants to be mindful of not prescribing what the platform should look like or how it will work, but wanted to note some of what job-seekers and Federal employees have shared throughout the research process of designing this competition. In particular, the agencies heard a need for:
Ø A matching-oriented application for the job-searching process. A platform that could determine likeness of fit, reveal matches, and allow both the employers and job-seekers to opt-in and share more information with each other and potentially interact more (connecting with Veterans at the company, chatting, etc.).
Ø A platform that has functions like a “ZocDoc” for job searching. Employers can self-input information (like doctors input their location, office hours, and information about their practice), external reviews from users are included, and users can actually take an action (book an appointment) in one place.
Ø A one-stop-shop verification system of employers. Employers on the platform could be matched automatically with databases that note if they are Federal contractors, have earned a HIRE Vets Medallion, or display information to help form a profile indicating whether the employer is who it claims to be (e.g., Google/Glassdoor/Yelp/Better Business Bureau/etc.).
This competition is divided into phases that will enable Solvers to further engage users in their design process and gather feedback on working prototypes. The most important requirement of this competition is that the platform solves challenges faced by the actual users, understanding what’s most useful and helpful to them, rather than being tool-led.
I hope you will consider participating in this opportunity, joining with others to bring your collective efforts and build off of your existing efforts, and / or share this with your relevant networks.
Learn more here: https://www.challenge.gov/challenge/vets-match/
Respectfully,
Jesús A. Arrieta
Director – Arizona | San Francisco Region
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS)
U.S. Department of Labor | http://www.dol.gov/vets
3839 North 3rd Street, Suite 101, Phoenix, AZ 85012
Tel.: (602) 542-2517 | Cell.: 202-738-2687 | Fax: (602) 542-5028
For more information on HIREVets, please contact me.
