BRAVE Act Passes, Boosts Construction Job Opportunities for Vets

Measure within the recently passed Omnibus Appropriations Act increases opportunities for veterans transitioning to careers in construction.

Veterans who are transitioning out of active-duty and into the civilian workforce will have greater access to careers in the skilled trades, thanks to the passage of the Brave Act.

The Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education Act is included in the recently passed Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2023, a bipartisan funding package of 12 appropriations bills which includes $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary programs such as education, health, child care, and community projects. It also includes $858 billion in defense funding.

The BRAVE Act, which went into effect January 2023, is designed to enhance access to a career in the skilled trades for veterans transitioning out of the military.

As part of the measure, the Department of Labor will be required to provide service members with a list of registered apprenticeship programs before they leave active military service. It also calls for the creation of a publicly accessible and user-friendly website where veterans can readily find information about apprenticeship programs and extends the post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to participants in these registered programs.

The goal is to connect veterans to resources that are eligible for Veterans Administration education benefits, ensuring that as they plan their life outside the military they have up-to-date information.

Also a part of the package are critical investments in worker protections, job creation, and veteran support, such as $118.7 billion — a 22 percent increase — for VA medical care, and increases in funeral benefits for eligible veterans.

Every year, some 200,000 people leave the military and return to life as civilians, according to data from the Department of Labor, which further reports that 92 percent of apprentices retain employment after graduation and earn an average annual salary of $72,000.

As the country continues to face a workforce shortage, those veterans could be a vital part of the solution and help meet those workforce demands, labor experts say.

The BRAVE Act further fortifies the SMART Heroes program, the joint initiative by SMACNA and SMART designed to recruit veterans into the skilled trades.

Said Stan Kolbe, SMACNA’s Executive Director for Government and Political Affairs, “After military service, The BRAVE Act will boost economic opportunities for vets in skilled construction careers which include a living wage, health and pension benefits and a distinct and respected career pathway.”

By Lisa Ramirez

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