The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through its Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (VR&E). The partnership will give veterans access to self-employment assistance from the SBA, its resource partners and U.S. Export Assistance Centers.
The VA and SBA will work together to prepare veterans, service-disabled veterans and service members for self-employment. Through the partnership, veterans and service members will have access to networking events, job seeking skills, coaching and entrepreneurship training.
“Veterans are extremely resilient as a result of their time serving in the military,” said Barb Carson, associate administrator, SBA Office of Veterans Business Development. “This is why they are great candidates for self-employment – and why prepping them to take on the venture is of utmost importance. VA’s VR&E program plays such an integral role in veteran business owners’ journeys, so I can’t wait to see the progress we’re able to achieve together.”
“This partnership between SBA and VA is a great addition to SBA’s Boots to Business and Reboot programs, through which we have trained over 300 members of the military community in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands,” said SBA Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands District Director Yvette T. Collazo. “Both agencies provide important educational tools and resources for veterans and their families, so they may transition to the next step in their careers.”
VA and SBA will train local staff on services available through partnering agencies, and also facilitate appropriate referrals on national, regional and local levels.
To learn more about the resources offered by SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development and the Veterans Administration’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, visit www.sba.gov/ovbd or www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab.
