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This Veterans Day, Give Thanks – and Recruit Military Talent to Manufacturing

On November 11^th each year the United States celebrates Veterans Day. On that date, we honor the men and women who have stood on the front lines at home and around the world, protecting and serving our nation.

These veterans are family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Around 200,000 individuals leave the service annually.  The technical and leadership skills gain during their time in service make them ideal candidates for career in manufacturing.

The manufacturing industry is experiencing an ongoing shortage of workers that is expected to reach 2.1 million unfilled roles by 2030. Hiring of veterans could go a long way to help close that gap. 

The military.com website declares veterans and manufacturing a “natural fit.” Here’s why:

What Veterans Bring to the Table as Manufacturing Workers

As they complete tours in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard veterans gain skills and capabilities they can apply to the manufacturing sector.

• Bringing intense discipline to new roles: Military personnel sign up for multi-year tours of duty that they must fulfill. As a result, they bring discipline and dedication to their roles.
  
  Manufacturing companies that offer a compelling value proposition to veterans – such as on-the-job training, cross-rotational roles, and a leadership track – may be able to win talented workers and develop and retain them for the long term.
  
• Gaining translatable skills: Military veterans learn skills, such as working with data or technology or performing operations and logistics duties, that manufacturers want.
  
  Taylor Windsatt , an Operational Excellence Lead Coach, leveraged his military experience and industry operations roles to join QAD Redzone as a readiness coach. In this role, he learned how to work with customers and deploy QAD Redzone, progressing to his current role, where he leads customer engagements and mentors other coaches. 
• Being able to problem-solve on the job: Military personnel navigate ambiguous situations and changing field conditions. As a result, they’re expert problem-solvers, a skill the manufacturing industry needs and covets.
  
  With the QAD Redzone Connected Workforce Solution, veterans and other workers gain the visibility, data, and digital processes they need to diagnose issues, share ideas for improving processes, and share insights and knowledge with others. Together, they drive production throughput and create a culture of continuous improvement that delivers ongoing gains.
• Demonstrating teamwork and leadership: Military teams work together to accomplish objectives, building the skills of every group member. Those with exceptional expertise and track record are promoted to leadership roles.
  
  As manufacturing companies deploy QAD Redzone, executives watch to see who excels at adopting work processes. Employees gain the skills and tools they need to lead huddles, propose and drive process changes, and create training content. Those who excel are often invited to take on challenging new duties, such as spearheading module deployments, taking on new leadership roles, or moving into new business areas.
  

Let’s Redouble Efforts to Hire Veterans

This Veterans Day, let’s thank the former and active military personnel who protected our country and way of life.

And let’s also give these talented workers a chance to thrive in the private sector by offering them jobs in manufacturing, developing their skills, and watching them flourish.