Nov 12, 2015
With today's Veterans Day commemoration, we note this positive development in the long-standing challenge of employing the men and women who served in the U.S. military.
From Military Times, "Veteran unemployment hits 7-year low in October":
Unemployment among all veterans reached a seven-year low last month, and the jobless rate among Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans set a new record low in October, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday.The announcement continues a run of positive news for both groups in recent years, a stark change from the double-digit unemployment rates for some veterans groups in the early part of the decade.According to BLS researchers, the overall veterans unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in October, down from 4.3 percent in September and from 6.9 percent just two years ago.
In fact, that unemployment rate is below the national figure of 5.0 percent!
Source of the improvement? The economy has indeed been adding jobs. (October was particularly strong, with 271,000 jobs added to payroll employment.)
But the progress also reflects the strong commitment by U.S. employers to bring more veterans into their companies. Many have real skills gained during their military service, the kind demanded by U.S., and others jump into the training programs that will help them gain those needed skills.
Here are just few examples of how companies headed by Business Roundtable CEOs are matching veterans with employment.
Business Wire news release, "Veteran Jobs Mission: New Name, New Goal for Hiring One Million U.S. Military Veterans," noting the initiative was launched in 2011 by companies that included those headed by BRT CEOs, e.g., JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, Cisco Systems, EMC Corporation, Universal Health Services, Inc., and Verizon Communications. New members include Stanley Black & Decker and Pepsico.
NEW YORK, Nov 02, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The 100,000 Jobs Mission today announced a new goal and name for the coalition of companies committed to employing U.S. military Veterans. Beginning today, the coalition will be renamed the Veteran Jobs Missionand commit itself to collectively hiring a total of one million military Veterans. This new commitment reflects the coalition’s longstanding commitment to support Veterans and their families.The coalition reached its original goal of hiring 100,000 Veterans in early 2014 and increased its goal to 300,000 in early 2015.“Stanley Black & Decker realized instantly the value of the Veteran Jobs Mission,” said Ralph Doran, Director of Talent Management for Stanley Black & Decker. “The irony of the Mission is that our Veterans are some of the most talented individuals you will ever meet. Their work ethic, integrity and selfless dedication to the success of their team make them a natural fit for our company values. But even more impressive is the leadership development they receive, their ability to lead change at a fast pace and their agility to change directives as fast as the markets.
Dallas Morning News, Biz Beat Blog, "Walmart hired over 13,500 military veterans across Texas since May 2013."
Walmart said it has hired more than 13,500 veterans across Texas since the launch of a veterans hiring initiative in May 2013, which guarantees a job offer to any eligible U.S. veteran honorably discharged from active duty since that time. ...In May, Walmart said it planned to hire 250,000 veterans nationwide through 2020, up from its original goal of hiring 100,000 by 2018. So far, it has hired more than 107,000 veterans since May 2013.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 09, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced plans to extend its highly successful PowerPathway™ training program to include a first-ever cohort of active-duty service members. Participants will receive training in gas and electric operations, with PG&E committed to hiring eight of the 15 graduates. ...“This effort builds on the tremendous success we’ve had in training veterans for careers in the utility industry. By opening the PowerPathway program to active-duty members of the military, we’re providing veterans with a critical tool to help them hit the ground running upon joining the civilian ranks,” said Tony Earley, PG&E Corporation chairman, CEO and president.
Again, that's just a few of the companies, and many worked closely with the White House via its Joining Forces Initiative, headed by First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
Finally, from MilitaryFriendly.com, the 100 top "military friendly" employers.