Employment Expertise: Making our nation’s heroes a priority

The coronavirus pandemic has left many without work, including individuals who served in the military.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average unemployment rate for veterans in 2019 was 3.1%, the lowest rate in 19 years.

However, as businesses closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, that rate jumped to almost 12% in April 2020.

In some circumstances, finding work can be more challenging for veterans as they transition their military skills to the civilian workforce. This is especially true for veterans who have a service-related disability.

One way veterans can overcome this challenge is by connecting with employers who understand the valuable skills veterans possess and are actively seeking to hire our nation’s heroes.

“As a military and defense contract manufacturer, ABT (Amphenol Borisch Technologies) serves an important purpose to support those who serve,” said Katie Butler, HR business partner at ABT.

“As part of this purpose, we have looked inside of our organization to evaluate how we can better support our internal team of veterans, as well as veterans new to the civilian workforce looking for career opportunities.”

Veterans possess a multitude of transferable skills that can be applied to a civilian job, like the ability to adapt, effectively communicate and problem solve. Employers across all industries value these skills.

In other cases, technical skills can benefit vets looking for civilian work.

In one situation, Marine Corps veteran Justin was able to use his paracord skills to get hired by Allegan employer, Cold Steel Tactical. After surviving a house fire and managing a PTSD diagnosis, Justin now has a fulfilling job with a veteran-focused employer and is providing security for his two sons.

West Michigan Works hosts a virtual Veterans Networking Job Club every month to help connect West Michigan vets with local job opportunities.

The job club occurs on the third Thursday of each month from 10-11 a.m. and is hosted online.

Participants with internet access can connect by video on a computer or smartphone. Participants without Internet access can join by phone.

The next VNJC is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, July 16. Interested veterans can register at VNJC.org.

— Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or contact your local Service Center.