TecAccess program is helping veterans get
on a career path

by Heather B. Hayes
for Virginia Business
June 2007

Caring for injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan involves more than just providing medical treatment and counseling. Many need a job, too.

“Being able to support yourself and your family and be a contributing member of society is critical to overcoming and learning to live with this type of traumatic injury,” says retired Army Lt. Col. Dennis Stone, a former Special Forces Green Beret and executive vice president of TecAccess, a Richmond-area firm that provides employment training for people with disabilities.

For this reason, TecAccess has teamed up with the commonwealth to start the Disabled Veterans Education Training (DVET) program. The initial class began in mid-May, educating 10 veterans over two months in accessibility technology, as well as skills related to Microsoft and Cisco certification. DVET graduates are guaranteed a job with the state, either in information technology or as an accessibility compliance auditor.

“These are not low-level jobs,” says Stone, who has two sons on active duty and a son-in-law who was disabled in Afghanistan. “These are high-paying jobs offering the possibility of career growth.”

TecAccess also wants to team up with companies to start a second program called Vet Access, which Stone describes as “DVET on steroids.” The program would provide veterans with whatever training the company requires and would guarantee a job upon successful completion of the program. “We want to be able to provide this training to as many veterans as possible as soon as possible.” says Stone.