Construction Industry Pledges to Hire 100,000 Veterans
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Feb. 10 joined construction industry leaders from more than 100 companies in support of their pledge to employ 100,000 veterans in the next five years—a commitment that was made during the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment in Construction National Symposium.
“ABC believes in supporting our troops by providing them with the employment opportunities available in the construction industry,” said ABC 2014 National Chairman and President and CEO of Compass Partners, LLC Dan Brodbeck. “With a projected nationwide shortage of nearly two million workers, ABC is committed to filling this skills gap, starting with our veterans.”
The construction industry is anticipated to gain roughly 1.6 million new jobs by 2022 while facing a lack of experienced laborers and the retirement of an estimated one-sixth of the current construction workforce. The pledge to hire more veterans in construction not only reflects the patriotism seen throughout the industry but addresses the skills gap seen throughout the country.
First Lady Michelle Obama and DOL Secretary Thomas Perez announced the pledge as a part of the Joining Forces initiative to address the challenges and opportunities America’s service members and veterans face when transitioning back into civilian employment.
“Many of these veterans have technical skills that are directly relevant to the construction industry. And plenty of veterans who don’t have those skills are eager to learn them,” said the First Lady. “And with the right training, we know they have the discipline, we know they have the determination that is necessary to succeed in all kinds of construction jobs.”
Training veterans and transitioning service members on industry recognized and nationally portable credentials are essential to ensuring they receive employable skills that are valued by construction firms. NCCER has leveraged their Build Your Future campaign to provide exceptional resources for veterans interested in construction careers. Utilizing BYF’s Military Crosswalk, veterans can identify how their Military Occupational Skill (MOS) codes align with NCCER’s industry-recognized, portable credentials.
Contributor since July 2013
Mike is the Director of Workforce Policy at Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
One Response to Construction Industry Pledges to Hire 100,000 Veterans
Please forward connecting information so a bridge can be built to resources in Washington’s Pacific Northwest. I would be excited about screening in some high quality trainees this spring.