We take anything published in a Military Times article with a bit of skepticism, but this one is worth discussion.
More than half of veterans struggle to find work in their desired fields after leaving the military because civilian employers want experienced and educated candidates ? and often don’t realize veterans qualify, a new survey finds.
Only 17 percent of employers say veterans are viewed as strategic assets in the workplace, according to the survey, released this week by the marketing firm Edelman. And despite the large majority of veteran respondents saying they have education beyond a high school diploma, 46 percent of employers believe veterans do not pursue a college degree or vocational training.
I have lost count of how many times some civilian said to me, “I was going to join the military but I got into college.” That makes me twitch a knife hand and visions of throat punching dance through my mind. Back in the 70’s and 80’s a lot of veterans never mentioned their service on employment applications. The past election just beat this false narrative of “uneducated” voters to death.
This concept that people remain “uneducated” if they don’t choose to run up 6 digits of debt to get on with life is nonsense. I doubt there is a single person attending Evergreen that could re-assemble a transmission. I am simply tired of people who weld, pour concrete, re-build engines, do roofing, and on and on being referred to as “uneducated.” I put more trust in the guy who installed my septic tank than I do any person with a degree in Gender Studies.
For example, 53 percent of employers surveyed said veterans do not have successful careers after the military. Yet federal employment figures show veterans reached a record-low unemployment rate in 2017 ? 3.7 percent, compared to 4.2 percent for nonveterans ? and other statistics show veterans have higher salaries and advance more quickly in their jobs, Schmeling pointed out.
Gee… I wonder why they would think such a thing. With all the posturing going on these days and military service seen as some form of disability, it’s shocking the number is only 53 percent.
Military spouses also encountered challenges and wished the government would do more to advocate for them, according to the study. Sixty-eight percent of employers said they did not offer options for flexible schedules or remote work that military spouses could benefit from, and many admitted their companies do not understand the value that military spouses have to offer in the workforce.
How could employers not understand the value of Dependapotami ? A quick daytime drive around base housing will educate even the most dull-witted. (Ok, let’s not dance on the keyboard sending what I call “recreational outrage,” I am just being sarcastic by using some false stereotypes… kinda false, ok maybe a little truth to it.)
The study found one way to bridge the civilian-military divide in the workforce could be through internship and apprenticeship programs, particularly in the information technology and trades fields. Both employers and veterans see this as an opportunity for vets to gain the technical and soft skills that employers want.
I didn’t even have to strain my elusive GED to come to that conclusion. I need to tap into some of this “Study Money.” Maybe if we weren’t all victims of military service or “got into college” instead of pissing our time away defending this nation, employers would have a higher opinion of us.
