Governor Deal and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development Implement Veterans Licensure Bill

Through HB 188, the Veterans Licensure Bill, recently discharged veterans can get great jobs for which they may already be qualified. Signed by Governor Deal on April 8, this law expedites the process for Georgia’s returning heroes to obtain professional licenses for in-demand careers.

Eligible licenses include:

• Electrical Contractor Class I
• Journeyman Plumber
• Conditioned Air Contractor Class I
• Residential-Light Commercial Contractor
• Utility Foreman

Georgia has the fourth highest number of veterans of any state in the U.S, with 60,000 military men and women returning to the state by 2016. At the same time, a severe skills gap in trades like construction, manufacturing, engineering, transportation and telecommunications will leave more than 60,000 jobs vacant by 2020. The Veterans Licensure Bill is a necessary step toward linking unemployed veterans with the jobs that need their skills and training.

Veterans who have been honorably discharged within the last 180 days can apply to transfer their military certifications to a professional license through the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office now.

About the Author

Maj. Gen. David Bockel is the veterans program liaison for the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development [now known as the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce Division]. The former executive director of the Reserve Officers Association in Washington D.C. and of the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, Bockel now works with GOWD to connect veterans with employers, strengthening Georgia's workforce, lowering veteran unemployment and helping heroes make a seamless transition to the civilian workforce.

Updated June 28, 2016

Related to: 

• Jobs
• Veterans