Upskilling and Recruiting Veterans for Manufacturing Careers
What can manufacturers do to attract and retain talented veterans?ܲԲ,ٳfounding sponsorof The Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes MAKE Americainitiative, hosted a webinarto answer that question—ɾٳindustry, government officialsand veterans themselves all weighing in.
The background:More than200,000 men and women transition out of the military each year, andThe Manufacturing Institute has estimatedthatmanufacturers will need to fill 4.6 million jobs by 2028. With their technical skills,ability to lead and follow under pressure and experience working in teams,veterans bring exceptional value to the manufacturing industry—even more so during these challenging times.
The lineup:Titled “Veteran Reskilling in Today’s Economy,” ٳvirtualeventfeaturedthe followingspeakers:
- Samsung Vice President of Strategic CommunicationsMegan Pollock
- Manufacturing Institute Executive DirectorCarolyn Lee
- Assistant Secretary John Lowry, Colonel, USMC (Ret.), Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
- Manufacturing Institute Vice President of Military and Veterans ProgramsBabs Chase
- Koch IndustriesOutreach Strategies ManagerJohn Buckley
- Sherwin–Williams Production SupervisorGeorge Clay
- SHRM Director of Veterans and CertificationsAffairsAndrew Morton
Industry:Pollock and Leediscussedthe work thatSamsung andtheInstitutehave done toconnect veterans with new careersthroughHeroes MAKE America,whichoffers training programs at several U.S. military bases.Here are some key quotes:
- Pollock:“Service men and women have an incredible skill set that’s really specifically designed for the advanced manufacturing field. Hiring managers don’t always understand that, and oftentimes, veterans are not set up for success as they move into the manufacturing field, even though they’ve got all the skills they need. So…it’s not about reskilling; it’s about an understanding of the great skill set veterans have and how we can utilize them.”
- Lee:“We are training people in multiple branches, in multiple locations, with multiple skillsets, and helping the broader military community transition into the sector.”
Government:SecretaryLowry,whose office helps support job counseling, placementand training services for eligible veterans,spokeaboutthe value ofthe Heroes program, saying:
- “I’ve been incredibly impressed with the outcomes of the program—95%graduation rate, 85–90%placement rate, and 25%placed in supervisory roles, which I thinksuggests some of the leadership traits people pick up in the military can be applied well in a manufacturing setting.”
Veterans:Chase moderated a panel of veterans—Buckley, Clay and Morton—who spoke about the Heroes program,the advantages of veteransin theworkforceandthe importance ofengagement efforts.Here is some of what they had to say:
- Buckley:“The Heroes MAKE America program is very comprehensive, and it really does a great job of preparing our veterans.”
- Clay:“When we start looking at what veterans are bringing to organizations, it’s a lot more than the common soft skills that you look at.”
- Morton:“Talent mobility is probably more important than acquisitionand probably more important than workforce development,because that truly allows the employee to grow and to stay with the organization.”
Check out a recording of the event.