Category Archives: Recommendations

Veterans and Clean Energy

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Applied Research & Policy Institute publishes Nevada clean energy sector report

Report highlights need for statewide renewable energy industry expansion

LAS VEGAS/RENO – In a first of its kind study about renewable energy sector employment status and potential veteran employment opportunities in Nevada, the Applied Research & Policy Institute authored a report detailing a prospective need to hire veterans in the clean and renewable energy sector. Most notably, the “Opportunities for Clean & Renewable Energy: Employment for Nevada Veterans” report, highlights the potential for 2019 Nevada legislation to engage in opportunities for veterans statewide to secure employment as well as expand the clean and renewable energy sector in the Silver State.

The ARPI Clean Energy Report conducted research and analyzed data showing Nevada veterans have an unemployment rate higher than the average unemployed population statewide. Through increased awareness and potential legislation, the clean and renewable energy workforce market could tap into the post-military population for hired, sustainable long-term work. This study details how statewide communication through academic and industry partners as well as removing education and employment barriers and potential policy-initiatives, could change and bolster the veteran workforce in the clean and renewable energy sector.

In this study, two solar energy companies, Bombard Electric, LLC and 1 Sun Solar Electric talked about potential job skills and long term employment options suitable for veterans. Louise Helton, Owner and Vice President of 1 Sun Solar said their company has sought prior opportunities to hire veterans and recommended that the renewable energy sector could host specific job fairs to encourage veteran employment for Nevada’s renewable energy industry.

ARPI Executive Director, Cyndy Ortiz-Gustafson said this report is an exceptional example of how ARPI serves Nevadans. “ARPI is dedicated to research that brings actionable change to Nevada policy makers,” Ortiz-Gustafson said. “Highlighting veteran employment opportunities through expanding the clean energy markets is the foundation of how ARPI serves this state.” The energy report is housed on both ARPI and VPLI’s (Veteran Policy Leadership Institute) websites. VPLI is an arm of ARPI that directly serves Nevada veterans through engagement and research opportunities to serve the state’s post-military population.

About Applied Research & Policy Institute: The Applied Research and Policy Institute is a nonprofit (501 c 3) research and policy working to advance quality of life outcomes for children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and to advance the use of data and research to solve public challenges. To date, the ARPI has conducted research on child welfare systems, victims of crime, and veteran issues. The goal of our research is to advance the dialogue in the public sphere, provide decision makers, stakeholders and advocates with high quality data, and to provide research-driven solutions to the public. Information on ARPI can be found at: http://policyapplied.wpengine.com/

About Veterans Policy Leadership Institute: The Veterans Policy Leadership Institute (VPLI) is a veteran-focused research wing of the Applied Research and Policy Institute (ARPI). VPLI is an off-campus affiliate to the University of Nevada, Reno and a partner of the UNLV School of Public Policy and Leadership. The goal of the VPLI is to advance veteran outcomes through research, policy change and focus on state and local systems change. Information on VPLI can be found at: http://vpliresearch.org/

ARPI/VPLI inquires please contact: info@policyapplied.org

Research related inquires please contact: info@innov8reanalysis.com

All ARPI announcements are available at: http://policyapplied.wpengine.com/arpi-projects/

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Veterans Policy Leadership Institute releases State and Local Policy Recommendations Report for 2016

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This week, the Veterans Policy Leadership Institute (VPLI) released its inaugural State and Local Policy Recommendations Report for 2016. This report describes innovations, best practices, and promising investments states and local communities are making across the country to improve outcomes for veterans, service members, and their families, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that policy changes are driven by data. The report is available online at the VPLI website, and printed versions will be sent to policy leaders around the country as well.

“This report recognizes the enormous amount of good will toward America’s service members, veterans, and their families, as exhibited by the incredible support provided for reintegration by states and local communities across the country,” said Caleb Cage, who chaired this effort on behalf of the VPLI. “We wanted to not only identify great successes, but also to encourage these same governments to ensure that current and future efforts are coordinated and integrated in ways that are sustainable and driven by data.”

The VPLI’s 2016 State and Local Policy Recommendations Report is the result of a yearlong effort that brought together veterans and veteran leaders from around the country. This small committee worked to identify state and local practices currently underway or being pursued and to place them within a broader context to ensure that they are maximize a state or local government’s ability to best serve those who have served their nation. The committee worked to ensure that the proposed recommendations were comprehensive, substantive, and measurable.

The 2016 State and Local Policy Recommendations Report provides comprehensive recommendations in four areas: systems-level, education, employment, and wellness. The systems-level recommendations are intended to be overarching in nature, illustrating the mechanisms necessary to coordinate various lines of effort at the state and local level. The remaining categories of recommendations, education, employment, and wellness, recommend improvements that, together, are intended to ensure that returning veterans and their families can access the services, benefits, resources, and opportunities that are available to them in their home states and communities.

The VPLI is a non profit research and policy institute located on the campus of the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) and in partnership with UNR and the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). The goal of the VPLI is to advance veteran outcomes through research, policy change and a focus on state and local systems change in Nevada and across the country. The VPLI is designed to fill a void in the national policy conversation around how to advance veteran outcomes by leading a state and local policy focused discussion anchored in research, data, metrics. This focus will mean the difference between failing and thriving for thousands of our nations most valuable assets: our veterans and military families.