Ready to Work Program Expands Eligibility to Include Bexar County Military Community

Published on March 07, 2023

Pilot program provides professional training, education to veterans, spouses and dependents

SAN ANTONIO (March 07, 2023) - The City of San Antonio's workforce initiative, Ready to Work, announces the launch of a pilot program that expands Ready to Work's focus to prioritize community members connected to military service living throughout Bexar County.
"This expansion of the Ready to Work program is a great opportunity for our community to tap into a large, talented pool of nearly 4,300 military members assigned across Joint Base San Antonio who transition out of the military each year," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. "In addition, for the approximately 322,000 veterans in the greater San Antonio area, this is an opportunity for them to train for good-paying jobs and will encourage them to remain in San Antonio."
The new pilot program allows active-duty service members who are transitioning to civilian life and who currently reside on military installations or housing located in Bexar County, but outside San Antonio city limits, to enroll in Ready to Work.
According to Ready to Work Executive Director Mike Ramsey, the aim of the one-year pilot is to support and retain our military connected families in the local community, while providing local employers with additional opportunities to fill critical vacancies through these talented individuals.

"We are very excited about the potential benefit this will have on our veteran and military community here in Military City USA," Ramsey said. "In addition, extending Ready to Work's eligibility criteria to include military connected individuals throughout Bexar County will provide an expanded talent pool for our ever-growing group of pledged employers."

Military-connected individuals interested in participating can learn more about Ready to Work at the readytoworksa.com website, which will be available for pilot program applications upon the launch of the initiative on May 1.

Eligibility:

• Active-duty service members transitioning to civilian life within 12 months of separation.
• Active-duty military spouses and dependents 18 and older (18-26 for dependent children).
• Reservists and National Guard members
• Veterans and disabled veterans; and
• Veteran spouses and dependents age 18 and older (18-26 for dependent children).

"Once again, Military City USA has proven its tangible commitment to enhancing the quality of life for military families by expanding the Ready to Work Program," said Maj. Gen. (ret.) Juan Ayala, Director, Military and Veteran Affairs Department. "This change will ensure a larger number of transitioning veterans and family members will be able to complete for good paying jobs and remain in our community."
Ready to Work is designed to help remove financial, social and emotional barriers for qualified adults committed to earning industry-recognized certifications, Associate's Degrees, or Bachelor's Degrees. Participants have access to:

• Tuition assistance aligned with targeted occupations in high-demand, well-paid careers;
• Support services and emergency assistance to ensure training completion; and
• Job placement and retention services.

The Ready to Work initiative provides a training and education program that offers participants an equitable, customized approach to acquire the skills needed to secure high-paying jobs by offering support services to overcome financial, mental, and social challenges and to earn trade certifications, associate's or bachelor's degrees. To date, Ready to Work has enrolled 1,413 San Antonians as participants and is partnering with 285 local employers that have pledged their support for the program.

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