INfOCUS Mark Huber (from left) of Alcoa Inc., Gabriele P.M. Tyler, Deputy Director of Transition Strategic Outreach for the U.S. Army, and actor and veterans activist Gary Sinese discuss the formation of the Get Skills to Work coalition. Courtesy: GE overcome the challenges of the transition to civilian life; the percentage rises to nearly 48% when surveying active duty military who are scheduled to transition in two years or less. “Veterans offer the technical, leadership, and critical thinking skills that advanced manufacturing demands,” said Paula Davis, president of the Alcoa Foundation. “Forming the Get Skills to Work coalition and coordinating with nonprofits to train, recruit, and develop veterans is an exciting model that has the potential to change lives and produce a significant competitive advantage for U.S. manufacturers.” “We believe the Get Skills to Work initiative could have a major impact on the hiring of veterans nationwide,” said Rick Stephens, Boeing’s senior vice president of human resources and administration, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “Using many of the same tactics and tools, such as a website for transitioning veterans that includes a military-to-civilian skills translator, we have hired and trained nearly 3,000 veterans in the past 21 months for jobs at Boeing. It’s a proven approach for matching the skills of those who have served our country to the hiring needs of American businesses. We’re honored to be part of Get Skills to Work, and look forward to integrating our efforts with the coalition.” “America’s veterans want and deserve the opportunity to contribute to our society and provide for their families,” said Bob Stevens, Lockheed Martin Chairman and CEO. The program will consist of three elements: n Accelerating skills training To help prepare veterans whose military service experience doesn’t immediately qualify them for available manufacturing jobs, coalition partners will work with local community and technical colleges to establish the Manufacturing Institute’s Right Skills Now program, which fast-tracks industry-recognized certifications and offers training in core manufacturing technical skill areas. Partners will engage their regional supply base to ensure the certifications being offered meet the immediate skill needs of local employers, and will work with the U.S. Depts. of Defense and Veterans Affairs, as well as local military transition offices and bases, to recruit veteran participants. n Translating military experience into civilian opportunities Many veterans and employers have difficulty recognizing and translating the skills gained through military training and experience into civilian workforce skill sets. The Manufacturing Institute, working with Futures Inc., has created a digital badge system to help translate Among the findings of the “Voice of Veterans” study conducted by GE and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University: n 76% of young veterans are confident they can be successful in their careers, despite the many challenges faced when transitioning to civilian life, and this confidence level increases with age. n 66% feel their skills are undervalued. Unparalleled work ethic, leadership, teamwork, discipline, and dedication are translatable skills they have to offer the civilian workforce. n 70% believe the skills they earned in the military align with a job in the manufacturing industry. n 79% are motivated to find educational opportunities to help them find and advance their civilian career. n Work/school balance (48%) and financial burdens (35%) pose barriers to their pursuit of education. n 76% want a civilian career that makes a positive difference in the world. n 78% seek a career that fills them with a sense of pride. n 62% believe companies have a responsibility to provide veterans with opportunities to enter and succeed in the civilian job market. applicable Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes, the U.S. military’s system for identifying jobs, to civilian positions in advanced manufacturing. n Empowering employers GE and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) will develop and deploy a toolkit for employers focused on creating meaningful, lasting career opportunities for veterans in the advanced manufacturing sector. The toolkit will be available to employers participating in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative and the 100,000 Jobs Mission, as well as the broader business community. P E For more information visit www. getskillstowork.org. 10 • November <strong>2012</strong> plant engineering www.plantengineering.com
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