Feb 2, 2012 - Three years ago Gabe Collins was on the front line in Kandahar province, one of the most dangerous places in war-ravaged Afghanistan, conducting search and rescue missions with the U.S. Navy.
These days the 25-year-old, who also served in the Iraq war, is an aircraft engine mechanic at global aerospace firm AAR's plant in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is applying skills honed while working on helicopters during his eight years of service in the Navy.
Just over a 1,000 miles away in Miami, 37 year-old Ruben Henao, also a veteran of the Iraq war, inspects aircraft landing gear at another AAR plant.
Henao was mostly a supply specialist and infantry man in the U.S. Army. But he learned to fix Humvees and tanks in the field, valuable mechanical experience for his duties today as the last person to sign off on the aircraft landing gear that has been disassembled, repaired and rebuilt.
The two men are among hundreds of military veterans who have been tapped by manufacturing companies that are facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. read more>>>
February 2, 2012 - Health care companies have become the latest bit of good news for veterans looking for work, even those without any formal medical background, according to employment advocates.
Brad Cooper, executive director of the White House’s Joining Forces effort, said last month that about 30,000 veterans and military spouses have been hired through their industry partnerships. Health care firms have been a surprise entry in those totals, ranking at the top among better-known veteran-friendly industries such as transportation and information technology.
But industry officials say that shouldn’t be a shock, since health care has been one of the few bright spots in the economy in recent years. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, industry firms added roughly 315,000 jobs in 2011, many of those in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
Joe DeMattos Jr., president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland, said part of the interest in veterans in the industry is the skill sets they’ve developed in the military. For direct-care jobs, like nurses and doctors, the overlap is obvious, but logistics and supply management specialists are just as critical for hospitals and nursing homes.
“You’re looking at transferable skills with pharmacy orders and supply orders, coordination and movement of patients at all types of facilities,” he said. “Plus, veterans are used to working in high-pressure situations and working as part of a team.” read more>>>
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