Honor, Dignity and Mobility

“It’s the economy stupid”(And your most important assets are your mind & connections)

• The emergent ‘knowledge economy’ is feeding into a related ‘knowledge-based economy’

• Knowledge-based occupations will require less direct physical labor, and more facility with software, understanding data, and team communications

• Veterans have already been exposed to the information-centric, high intensity, skills-based team occupations. Further, they have a strong brand identity that can be leveraged

Innovations, Invention, and Impact

• Advanced Manufacturing Local Examples Include: 1. CAMotion @ Atlanta, GA 2. Kia Manufacturing Plant @ West

Point, GA 3. Amendia @ Atlanta, GA • Renewable Energy Deploying and utilizing alternative energy sources requires a

variegated skill-set and labor pool, including developers, installers, manufactures, consultants etc.

Challenges

• Wounded warriors, like most veterans returning from the wars, are disconnected from the domestic labor economy

• Veterans with disabilities need a safe space to decompress, heal, and renew

• Veterans requiring long-term rehabilitation and care, must have access to both a wide-range of professional services and health expertise, as well as their family & friendship networks

Labor life cycle of the “typical” employee

Benefits to the firm

Training can shift the peek right-ward

Where can we add value?

*from Rauner, MacLean (2008)

Warm Springs, Callaway, and Ike’s VA – A Vision

• Integrated approach to healing. Combining a living-learning community, traditional medical facilities, and a network of biomedical and hospital technologist

• Historical legacies of two transformational leaders, President Roosevelt & Eisenhower

• Using innovative new learning technologies, including openCourseware, Self-directed computerized courses, and distance learning, to provide personalized training material

The current competitive landscape

• FY2013 VA budget is estimated at 140.3 billion (a 6% YOY increase)

• FY2013 VA budget for vocational rehabilitation at 1.59 billion (a 10% YOY increase)

• Vocational rehabilitation programs targeting a population of approx. 130,000 veterans

• Afghan & Iraq war veteran unemployment rate: 9.1%, 33% for 18-24 age-cohort

First of it’s kind?

• Dan Marino vocational program for teens with autism. First class 2014

• Ohio Recovery-to-Work project. Started in 2011, focuses on individuals with alcohol and drug addictions

• The team could not identify any other programs that incorporated both a physical rehabilitation and dedicated vocational component

Factors that lead to successful rehabilitation program

*taken from Hayward, Schmidt-Davis (2005)

Summary

• Project currently has $500,000 and wants to utilize federal 4:1 match. Final projected capital goal is $5,000,000

• Great opportunity exist to utilize new learning-technologies for vocational training

• One of the first fully integrated healing-to-work communities in the nation dedicated to veterans

Citations

• Hayward, Schmidt-Davis (2005)• Rauner, MacLean (2008)• Clark, Huang, Walsh (2009)