Helmets
to Hardhats
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard that a talent shortage in
construction and building trades looms on the horizon
across the United States. It’s likely that finding
qualified, reliable people who want to work hard has become
increasingly difficult over the past decade at your company.
One organization is looking to bridge the divide between meaningful,
fulfilling career opportunities in construction trades and a
largely untapped talent pool: transitioning military service members
and veterans.
David Porter is the executive director of Helmets to Hardhats, a
non-profit organization that began in 2003 and exists to promote
careers in construction trades to people who are coming out of
military service. Helmets to Hardhats also helps construction
employers find quality workers.
BUSINESS
Connecting transitioning military service members and veterans
to career opportunities in construction
By Lester Publications, LLC
“What we do is reach out through our website and through
additional outreach to educate service members and veterans
about the opportunities that are available, because careers in construction
are not nearly as well-known as college opportunities,”
said Porter. “We also provide the means for them to connect with,
and apply to, apprenticeships and various training opportunities
that the building trades offer.”
According to Porter, someone exiting a military career makes a
great candidate for a career in construction.
“A lot people just don’t want to do physically demanding work
anymore,” he said. “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 are taught during their
time in the military to be task-oriented.”
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