! 2013 TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE USE OF MOS SPECIALTY TRAINING AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR STATE LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FINAL REPORT January 1, 2014 ! TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ....................................................................................................................................3 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................5 Findings and Recommendations .................................................................................................10 Task Force Process ......................................................................................................................23 Task Force Appointees ................................................................................................................25 Endnotes .......................................................................................................................................27 Appendix A: Legislation and Executive Order .........................................................................30 Public Act No. 10-105 .......................................................................................................31 Special Act No. 13-5 ..........................................................................................................33 Executive Order No. 36 .....................................................................................................36 Appendix B: Model Legislation ..................................................................................................38 Maryland Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013 ............................................................39 Illinois Military Family Licensing Act (2012) ..................................................................56 Appendix C: National Military Credentialing Efforts .............................................................76 National Survey of Credentialing Practices .......................................................................77 Appendix D: White House Reports on Military Credentialing ..............................................86 The Fast Track to Civilian Employment ............................................................................87 Military Skills for America’s Future ................................................................................118 Appendix E: Veterans in the Connecticut Labor Market .....................................................144 Denying Credit: The Failure to Transition Troops to Civilian Employment ...................145 Appendix F: Opportunities for Streamlined Licensing in Connecticut ...............................172 Police Officer Licenses ....................................................................................................173 Security Guard Licenses ..................................................................................................179 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Licenses ...........................................................182 Firefighter Licenses .........................................................................................................185 Electrician Licenses .........................................................................................................190 HVAC Technician Licenses ............................................................................................193 Heavy Duty (CDL) and Bus Drivers Licenses ................................................................196 Spousal Licensing and License Tolling ...........................................................................201 Data Collection and Oversight of Veterans’ Employment ..............................................206 Crediting Military Experience in Higher Education ........................................................209 Information Dissemination and Outreach ........................................................................218 2 INTRODUCTION Veterans are a highly trained and motivated group with much to offer the state of Connecticut. When they come home from war, veterans return to Connecticut with skills, training, and experience that should satisfy the requirements for state occupational licenses. Hundreds of veterans come to the state every year ready and willing to work as emergency medical technicians (EMTs), police officers, commercial drivers, electricians, and in other jobs. At the same time, Connecticut employers report an unmet need for qualified applicants, and a number of states have recently reformed their licensing statutes and regulations to promote veterans’ employment. Our agencies have implemented important measures to grant licenses on a case-by-case basis to veterans, but unfortunately Connecticut lags behind other states in promoting employment of veterans and military spouses. Connecticut’s failure to fully credit military training and experience in its licensing and educational programs, and to recognize out-of-state licenses for military spouses, contributes to high unemployment rates for Connecticut’s veterans, impairs employment among military spouses, and burdens military families.1 Connecticut can learn from the successful programs already implemented by states such as New York, Maryland and Illinois to provide its service members and their spouses a smoother transition from military to civilian life. Channeling veterans into occupations for which they are already trained is an essential way to support military families and to promote a robust state economy. Given the progress already made in other states, military credentialing is also imperative to ensuring that Connecticut remains competitive in recruiting the most qualified veterans to live and work in the state. In recognition of these concerns, this Task Force was created to develop reforms to aid Connecticut veterans as they transition from the military to the workforce. Through the passage of Special Act No. 13-5, the General Assembly directed the Task Force to determine whether and how state licensing processes can be streamlined to better recognize prior military experience.2 The General Assembly also instructed the Task Force to consider broader ways to help veterans transition back to Connecticut. Pursuant to Act 13-5, “the purpose of the task force is to aid veterans in securing employment.”3 Four months after the Task Force was created, Governor Dannel P. Malloy issued Executive Order No. 36, which directed “all state departments that issue certifications and licenses to conduct a thorough review of policies and procedures and make such revisions as are necessary to ensure that relevant military education, skills and training are given appropriate recognition in the certification and licensing process.” 4 Executive Order No. 36 also required state agencies to “[i]dentify any state and federal laws or regulations that pose potential barriers” to that process.5 Finally, the Executive Order mandated that “public institutions of higher 3 education should consider the unique knowledge and experience of military service as they evaluate and award academic credit” toward degrees and certifications.6 With these goals in mind, the Task Force convened on September 16, 2013 and began its research and evaluation process. In addition to analyzing present agency licensing practices and trends in the state labor market, the Task Force conducted a national survey of military credentialing initiatives and produced detailed studies of the occupations most relevant to Connecticut veterans. The Task Force also examined model legislation and executive initiatives from other states and sought feedback from state agencies, as well as advocates, researchers, and union representatives. The Task Force’s research, findings, and recommendations are contained in this report. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Veterans face significant challenges when they leave the military and look for civilian work. The transition from war into the domestic workforce can be difficult for former service members, whose military training does not always translate smoothly into jobs at home.7 When they return to Connecticut, veterans are often required to repeat technical training they received in the military in order to receive state occupational licenses.8 Confronted with prospect of redundant, time-consuming, and expensive training programs, some veterans accept lower- paying jobs for which they are overqualified.9 Connecticut employers report an urgent need for highly skilled and motivated workers,10 and other states, including New York, Maryland, and Illinois, have implemented more aggressive programs to credit military training and experience in civilian licensing regimes. Other states have also outpaced Connecticut in encouraging veterans to pursue post-secondary education by awarding academic credit for military experience. Finally, Connecticut lags behind states such as Illinois in the effort to streamline licenses for military spouses, who often struggle to find employment when they move with their families across state lines. Connecticut owes it to its veterans to fix these problems. Veterans enter the workforce with highly developed technical skills and with experience working in groups, under stress, and for a purpose larger than themselves. Connecticut has an opportunity—and a duty to those who have served—to harness this experience for the benefit of its citizens and its economy. To attract skilled veterans to the workforce, Connecticut’s