Daniel F. Perkins, principal scientist at the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (Clearinghouse) and distinguished professor of family and youth resiliency and policy in the College of Agricultural Sciences, participated Sept. 24 in a joint informational meeting of the Pennsylvania House and Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness committees focused on helping veterans transition from military service to civilian careers.
During the meeting, titled “From Combat to Careers,” lawmakers and other attendees heard from representatives of Penn State, other higher education institutions, state agencies, and organizations involved in veteran employment, education, professional licensing and military-to-civilian transition initiatives.
The meeting opened with remarks from Sen. Doug Mastriano, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee; Rep. Jared Solomon, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee; and Rep. Mark Gillen, Republican chairman of the House committee.
“We’ve really tried to take a broad, expansive view of what it means to be a veteran in Pennsylvania, how to make the veteran experience the Pennsylvania experience, and how to redefine and reimagine what people think about veterans in Pennsylvania,” Solomon said. “We believe getting more veterans to Pennsylvania opens up economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.”
Perkins represented the Clearinghouse during the meeting’s first panel, which focused on connecting veterans with in-demand careers. He highlighted opportunities to address Pennsylvania workforce shortages by making it easier for transitioning service members and veterans to apply their military training and experience toward civilian credentials and employment.
In his testimony, Perkins said Pennsylvania’s working-age population is expected to decline by more than 400,000 this decade, while employers already face a shortfall of about 100,000 workers. He pointed to healthcare as an area of particular concern, noting that Pennsylvania is projected to need an additional 9,000 nurses and more than 11,000 nursing assistants by 2032, with workforce gaps especially pronounced in rural communities.
At the same time, approximately 200,000 service members leave the military nationally each year, Perkins said, providing Pennsylvania with an opportunity to attract and retain skilled workers as they transition to civilian life.
Military medical personnel are particularly well-positioned to help address healthcare workforce needs, Perkins said. More than 61,000 enlisted service members worked in medical occupations in 2024, gaining experience in patient care, emergency treatment, laboratory work and other critical areas.
“Many encounter unnecessary barriers when seeking civilian credentials, even when they already possess relevant training and experience,” Perkins said.
Perkins also discussed work already underway to create more direct connections between military medical experience and civilian healthcare careers in Pennsylvania.
With support from The Heinz Endowments, the Clearinghouse hosts the Veterans Healthcare Career Acceleration Team, or VHCAT, an action-oriented group focused on identifying military medical skills, aligning them with civilian credential requirements, and developing accelerated pathways into healthcare occupations. Perkins said the group’s initial areas of focus include emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician, paramedic, nursing and allied health career pathways, including opportunities to award credit for prior learning.
Perkins also discussed proposed state initiatives that could expand those efforts. He said legislation expected to be introduced in the next legislative session would establish the Veteran Accelerated Employment and Licensing Program to connect veterans and transitioning service members with employment opportunities, training, apprenticeships and professional licensing resources in Pennsylvania. The proposal also would establish a Commonwealth SkillBridge program to help employers and state agencies provide internships, apprenticeships and job placements to transitioning service members before they leave military service.
Together, Perkins said, these efforts could help Pennsylvania recruit skilled veterans, recognize the value of their military experience, and connect them with occupations experiencing workforce shortages.
Three additional panels addressed educational, employment and state initiatives related to veteran career transitions.
The second panel focused on college and university initiatives. Heather L. Zonts, dean of nursing and associate professor at Mount Aloysius College, participated on behalf of the college’s Prior Provider to RN program. Karen Morahan, director of the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot, represented UPMC’s Medic to RN Program.
The third panel addressed SkillBridge and other initiatives. Participants included Keith Graham, executive director of veterans programs, and Anthony “Tony” Calicchio, employment development and economic wellness program manager, from the Pennsylvania Department of Military & Veterans Affairs; Maj. Jonathon Rush, director of the Office of Community Engagement, from the Pennsylvania State Police; Erik Orient, director, Military Affairs and Student Initiatives at UPMC; and Adrienne O’Donnell, executive director of the Ross and Carol Nese Foundation.
The final panel featured Andrew LaFratte, deputy policy director with the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Together, the panels provided lawmakers with perspectives on professional licensing, higher education pathways, employment programs, and state initiatives that intersect with the transition from military service to civilian employment.
“This ongoing effort is to ensure a seamless transition for our military members to the civilian workforce,” Mastriano said. “I’d like to thank the Penn State Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness for working with Chairman Solomon and me on this informational meeting, but also on potential legislation … that can help transitioning service members and military spouses connect with jobs and career pathways after serving in uniform.”
About the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness
The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness is an applied research center committed to advancing service members' and their families' health and well-being. The Clearinghouse takes a solution-oriented approach that includes conducting applied research studies, building workforce expertise through training and resource provision, implementing and evaluating evidence-informed programs and practices, and delivering objective data and policy-relevant findings so that decisions are based on the best science and evidence available. The Clearinghouse is located within Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute.