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Six Top Companies That Hire Military Veterans

By Ray Holder
Guest Contributor, In Military Education

The United States Armed Forces are a revered people. We take immense pride in and afford a high place of honor to our brave soldiers who put their lives on the line for our safety and security.

Whether it’s the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard, most Americans have a huge amount of respect for these servicemen and women. This has been reflected in a lot of places and situations in society. Perhaps none more so than in the job market.

According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment for all U.S. veterans dropped to 6.6% in 2013. Tellingly, 60% of those unemployed were age 45 or older. So for military veterans who aren’t nearing retirement age, chances of employment are quite high indeed.

If you have little to no training and you’re wondering how employable you are, plenty of educational institutions exist that can help you upgrade your skills. Likewise, there are benefits that veterans can take advantage of to get you on your feet.

Last year, U.S. Representative Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) saluted veterans looking for training at York Technical Institute, where 60 veterans were enrolled. In addition to benefits for military veterans, York Technical Institute provides programs, opportunities, and an environment that helps veterans adjust to post-service life.

The next logical question is, where can veterans find a job? The following are six major employment opportunities for former Armed Forces personnel. This list was compiled using data from the Best for Vets: Employers 2014 survey published at Military Times, a news portal dedicated to the armed forces. What’s entirely evident is that the job opportunities are there, as well as a wide variety of career paths.

  • AT&T
      • Field: Telecommunications
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 12%

    Global telecommunications giant AT&T has the highest intake figures of veterans overall, despite the fact that they might not be up there in terms of pure percentile. 4,158 of all 34,451 employees hired last year were veterans.

  • USAA
      • Field: Insurance
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 16%

    Fortune 500 insurance and finance company United Services Automobile Association was founded as a result of Army officers who felt the need to provide each other with insurance, considering the amount of risk their careers entailed. That association remains today with 1,161 out of 7,426 people hired in 2013 being ex-Army.

  • Union Pacific
      • Field: Transportation
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 28%

    Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the Union Pacific Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange and is the bigger of only two players in the rail transport market in America. Last year, they hired an impressive 849 veterans out of a total of 3,000 employments.

  • Bank of America
      • Field: Banking & Finance
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 8%

    In terms of assets, Bank of America is the second largest finance and banking firm in the U.S. Again, the percentage of veterans hired isn’t as high when equated with number of total recruits, but in terms of pure hiring numbers, BoA does pretty well with 2,048 of 26,220 individuals hired in 2013 being veterans.

  • ManTech international
      • Field: Science and Technology
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 50%

    This nearly 50-year-old company caters to federal government agencies such as Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and the United States intelligence agencies, among others. The veteran-to-civilian ratio is staggering with 1,282 of 2,548 hires coming out of the veteran pool in 2013.

  • Triple Canopy
      • Field: Security
      • Percentage of vets hired in 2013: 86%

    This privately owned security agency caters to all sorts of clients, including private corporate entities, government organizations, and non-profit organizations. It was founded by a group of Army veterans in 2003 and has grown from strength to strength since. Of the 587 employees taken on board last year, 506 were former Armed Forces personnel. Triple Canopy is a very good option for veterans.

About the Author

Ray Holder is an independent career consultant. Connect with him on Twitter.

 

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