Page 12 - Spring 2014 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

VETERANS – MANUFACTURERS NEED YOU!

SIX TIPS FROM VETS, FOR VETS LOOKING FOR JOBS

By Mike Aroney, CMRP, Director Contracting jobs are drying up, while the growing
of Operations at Impact Recon, manufacturing sector is at a critical state, searching for and
Navy Veteran hiring technicians who can fix equipment and keep it running.

Most vets are completely unaware that there are programs
Working as a recruiter for by the Department of Veterans Affairs and nonprofits like
manufacturing companies, I have the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals
one recurring problem: meeting (SMRP) that will help pay for veterans to get certifications
the high demand for veterans in the so they can develop their resume and career. One of these
manufacturing sector. veterans who struggled to find work after leaving the military
is Alan Knight. In the early 1990s, Knight retired from the
Companies across all industries, whether its food processing, Army where he worked as a mechanic, repairing M1 Abrams
packaging or automotive manufacturing, tell me the same tanks, and settled for a job as a truck mechanic making $6.50
thing – they need maintenance and reliability professionals an hour. For Knight and so many veterans, leaving the military
and they want veterans to fill these spots. With the growth was a “rude awakening.” Working as a civilian mechanic, he
of manufacturing in the U.S., there’s a crisis in the industry had to take on a second job and his wife also had to get a job,
for skilled workers, who can fix equipment, keep it running at just to have the same income as when he was in the military.
optimal levels and plan for future failures. He eventually found a job as a plant maintenance mechanic
and built a career in physical asset management. Now Knight
As director of operations at Impact Recon, which specializes works in reliability engineering and assists me in educating
in recruiting and staffing for manufacturing companies, I (Continued on page 13)
visit military bases across the country
looking to recruit veterans. Service
men and women who ran maintenance
programs on aircraft carriers or worked
as tank mechanics are perfect candidates.
A motor’s a motor, whether it’s in a ship,
a brewery or a packaging plant. It has Our international
certain functionality and a maintenance certifications
officer – civilian or in the military – works qualify you to
to make sure it performs within that work worldwide
and year-round.
functionality. Not only do veterans have
the required skills and knowledge, they Offshore diving
adapt, learn quickly and are team players opportunities include the
inspection, installation,
with an incredible work ethic. and repair of offshore
oil drilling platforms
Despite the skills and experiences that and pipelines.
veterans bring to a job, unemployment Inland opportunities
amongst veterans remains high at 6.7 include construction,
repair and inspection
percent, according to the U.S. Labor of bridges, water towers,
Department. Part of the problem is that nuclear power facilities and
veterans - whether they served in the countless other infrastructure.
Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines - have
no idea the maintenance and reliability Our graduates are
profession even exists or that they qualify in high demand.
for many jobs in the industry. The usual All training is conducted
path is to attend job fairs looking for in open water.
Financial aid
government contracting opportunities or for those who qualify.
settling for something less.
Use your VA benefits
with us.

12