While many in the manufacturing industry are experiencing difficulty in recruiting skilled workers, some manufacturers are tapping into a valuable resource that provides them with highly skilled, dedicated employees. These new hires learn quickly, have an excellent work ethic, and thrive in a team environment. They can also bring unparalleled technical knowledge and field experience to both a position and the employer.
You may be anxious to know where manufacturing firms find such top notch talent. The answer is simple: military veterans.
Veterans bring a host of skills, including being goal-minded and resilient in their work. Their years of experience working in a fast-paced environment with little room for error translate to thinking critically and strategically on their feet. Officers bring high-quality leadership skills, keeping projects on time and on budget.
Besides these many benefits, veterans also have a high retention rate; they will stay with firms for the long term. Employers praise vets for their ability to troubleshoot issues, especially in working with machinery and other technologies. Veterans work with large-scale, complex equipment while in the field, making the transition to the operation of manufacturing tools easy.
With such technical training, leadership, adaptability, and other transferrable skills, veterans offer a perfect match for manufactures’ needs. While the assets veterans offer are clear, some employers are unsure how to add veterans to their team. Many local and national organizations focus on connecting veterans with employers.
Ohio Organizations
OhioMeansJobs Veterans Portal
OhioMeansJobs is an online job board focused on connecting Ohioans with employment opportunities. The site has a specific section dedicated to connecting veterans and employers. The Veterans Portal includes educational and employment resources for job-seeking vets. The portal also offers a Veterans Support Center to assist employers who are looking to hire veterans.
Veterans Employment Network
The Veterans Employment Network, sponsored by the Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC) and OhioMeansJobs, provides multiple resources for veterans. Their job fairs connect job seekers with employers, and offer resume development, job training, and career consultation.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Veteran Workforce Services
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has a specific Veteran Workforce Services page that offers information on policies and programs regarding hiring veterans. It also links to various education opportunities for veterans seeking to rejoin the civilian workforce.
National Organizations
Get Skills to Work
This coalition headed, by General Electric, connects manufacturers, veterans, and educational institutions. The Get Skills to Work website includes links specific to production managers, welders, machinists, maintenance technicians and industrial designers.
Hire a Veteran
As the name implies, this site contains job boards specific to veterans. This includes a Manufacturing Job Board, with openings broken down by industry and position.
Vet2Tech
This non-profit seeks to educate manufacturers on the benefits of hiring veterans and connects job-seeking vets with positions in the manufacturing and technical field. Employers can register on the Vet2Tech site to learn how to recruit candidates and match vets’ skills to position needs, and to discover the federal and state benefits related to hiring veterans.
Hiring Our Heroes
Operated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, this organization hosts Service Member Transition Summits and hiring fairs throughout the United States. The Hiring Our Heroes employer page offers webinars, job scouting, and resume analysis assistance along with other useful tools.
Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Services
The VETS program is dedicated to helping veterans and their family members find careers connecting their passions and talents. Its employer page includes an “employer toolkit” to aid and educate employers on hiring veterans, and offers information about registering veterans in apprenticeship programs. VETS has regional offices, including one located in Columbus.
Other resources include Veteran Job Boards on CareerBuilder and Monster.com, and organizations such as AmVets, Catholic War Veterans, and the Ohio National Guard.
By connecting with these resources, manufacturers not only hire highly qualified, dedicated employees, but give back to their community by aiding veterans in their transition back to civilian life.
Get connected with more workforce development resources by visiting the OH!Manufacturing workforce development page or contact us at 614-776-5265.
