Program Supporters

 U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) was elected to the United States Senate in 1974 and remains the only Democrat elected to this office from Vermont. At 34, he was the youngest U.S. Senator ever to be elected from the Green Mountain State. Leahy is the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is the senior most member of the Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Agriculture Committee. Leahy is the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. He ranks first in seniority in the Senate and is the President Pro Tempore.

“Vermont is working hard to meet employer needs and keep as many high-tech jobs in Vermont as possible.” says U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy. “[IAA programs] have a direct impact on improving the lives of unemployed and underemployed Vermonters, opening doors to move into new careers that lead to increased wages, benefits and responsibilities---all, vital elements to economic growth.” Allscripts/Vermont HITEC media release, February 15, 2013. For more information on Senator Leahy, see www.leahy.senate.gov. 

 U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006 after serving 16 years in the House of Representatives. He is the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history. Senator Sanders is Chair of the Veterans committees and serves on four other committees: Budget, Energy, Environment and Health, Labor, Education and Pensions. Bernie is a strong supporter of IAA programs, especially those that bring outsourced jobs back to the United States.

In 2004, IAA’s employer-partner Fletcher Allen Health Care decided to stop the outsourcing of its medical transcription overseas by partnering with IAA to train a workforce in Vermont. Senator Sanders praised the initiative and the leadership demonstrated by Fletcher Allen’s new CEO, Dr. Melinda Estes. "You have a new CEO who's saying it's not right for us as one of the larger employers in the area to be outsourcing," Senator Sanders said. "I applaud them." Outsourced Jobs Coming Home, by Stephen Kiernan (Burlington Free Press, March 5, 2004). For more information on Senator Sanders, see www.sanders.senate.gov. 

The U.S. Department of Labor has provided support for IAA programs in many ways. There have been state and federal grants that have allowed IAA to continue to provide a tuition-free education to unemployed and underemployed individuals, with a guaranteed job waiting for them. U.S. DOL's Office of Apprenticeship has provided the opportunity through regional offices and state apprenticeship agencies for IAA program graduates to complete a Registered Apprenticeship program and earn a Certificate of Completion.

Vermont Department of Labor has supported IAA programs by providing education funding for unemployed and underemployed Vermont residents and for direct funding to individuals to assist them financially as they go through the education phase of the IAA program. Vermont Department of Labor staff have also worked closely with IAA staff to prepare, select and support program participants.

Vermont Department of Economic Development has supported IAA programs through direct and indirect funding and by promoting programs to eligible Vermont residents.

NH Works is responsible for bringing together job seekers and employers in New Hampshire and connecting both with the financial resources to support programs such as the IAA apprenticeship programs. NH Works is part of the American Job Centers system and has worked closely with IAA staff to recruit, prepare, select and support unemployed and underemployed New Hampshire residents during their IAA program.

New Hampshire Charitable Foundation (NHCF) manages a collection of more than 2000 philanthropic funds created by individuals, families and businesses. NHCF provided scholarship funding for IAA's first program in the Manchester, NH, area, which ensured that unemployed and underemployed individuals, particularly new Americans, were able to participate in a Dartmouth-Hitchcock medical assisting program tuition-free. NHCF supported IAA students a second time with a grant that enabled IAA to encourage new Americans to apply for a medical assisting program, to receive supports to prepared for the program (such as English language education) and to receive direct support to ensure success in the program.