"Troops to Energy" Jobs Program May Hire up to 200,000 Vets

by Alex A. Kecskes

A national initiative could provide up to 200,000 energy industry jobs for veterans over the next five years.

The Troops to Energy Jobs program seeks to take advantage of veterans’ skills--like their discipline and emphasis on safety--that give them a leg up in energy industry work. The two-year pilot program will begin Sept. 1, 2011 and will include Arizona Public Service (APS), Virginia-based Dominion Resources and three other utilities.

The energy industry needs career minded veterans to replace the over 30 percent of workers who will be eligible for retirement by 2016. At APS, a staggering 43 percent of employees will be eligible for retirement by 2014, creating a huge opportunity for new hires.

The coalition of electric, natural gas and nuclear power companies hopes to fill the growing need for skilled new talent in the utility industry with military vets. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 20 percent of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are unemployed. (Update: based on current estimated, that estimate is now a staggering 50%) The feeling among utility industry hiring managers is that veterans are dependable, disciplined, and more mature than non-vet applicants. They also have the skills and demonstrated ability for handling authority and providing leadership.

An APS HR spokeswoman noted that energy companies like APS anticipate hiring veterans in many departments—including technical, security, financial and legal. More than 700 veterans already work for APS and another 50 to 100 will be hired over the next two years. If you’re a veteran interested in getting into the utilities industry, contact APS at t2e@aps.com.

For an additional perspective, check out this video:

Feel free to comment on this article, especially if you are a returning veteran.