The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is introducing a new program focused on helping wounded military veterans transition into the civilian workforce.
The Wounded Veterans Internship Program offers wounded veterans paid internships at MDOT facilities throughout the state and is federally funded by the Federal Highway Association (FHWA). The FHWA is MDOT’s partner in the program, along with veteran service organizations in Michigan.
“This program will help fill a vital need, providing opportunities to our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line for all of us and suffered physically or psychologically in the process,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. “Gov. Snyder has made it a priority to help the estimated 30 percent of Michigan’s veterans who are unemployed. We at MDOT are proud to share in that mission.”
Bruce Freimark, who coordinates the program for MDOT, said the goal is to match veterans who have service-connected disabilities with paid internships at MDOT facilities located close to where they are currently living and/or receiving rehabilitation services. Placement depends on the returning veteran’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Possible fields include aeronautics, engineering, finance, maintenance, planning, project management and research.
Michigan is one of the first state transportation departments to offer the internship program. Michigan residents who are honorably discharged veterans with physical or psychological wounds are eligible.
While intended to primarily serve veterans of U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the program is not limited to veterans of those operations.
More information is available on the MDOT website at www.michigan.gov/woundedvetintern.