“A lot people just don’t
want to do physically
demanding work anymore.
But with transitioning
service members, you’ve
got people willing and
able to do it, and they
have the work ethic and
the leadership skills, and
they’re taught in their
time in the military to be
task-oriented.”
– David Porter
COVID-19
Despite construction deemed an essential service in most jurisdictions,
the pandemic did affect certain aspects of Helmets to
Hardhats’ programming and outreach efforts.
“Normally at this time of year is when most apprenticeship
classes would be starting up,” said Porter. “What we’re hearing
from our industry partners is that they’re still going to be taking
apprentices, but jobs they were planning on started are being
pushed off.”
He says that’s been the biggest hurdle for the program on the
employer side.
On the side of the veterans themselves, Porters says the challenge
is being able to access them. Prior to the pandemic, Helmets
to Hardhats connected to transitioning military service members
through Transition Readiness Seminars (TRS), however those
classes are not being held as in normal times, replaced more commonly
with one-on-one interviews, eliminating the opportunity for
Helmets to Hardhats to speak with veterans.
“Access to veterans was already a hurdle for us; I spent five
years on a military installation on a daily basis, and the message
is overwhelmingly ‘go to college.’ Go to college when you’re
done with the military. The fact is that apprenticeship in building
and construction trades is more of a legitimate career path than
people know.”
He believes that the entire construction industry at large needs
a new image, beyond recruiting veterans.
“We’re pushing an industry that needs a shift in the way it’s
viewed,” said Porter. “In general, people view jobs where you
get dirty or hot and sweaty as beneath them, which is just not
the case.” t
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