General Electric has a long history of hiring military veterans. The company currently employs about 10,000 veterans and plans to hire another 5,000 over the next five years, as they expand their aviation operations.
With veterans often facing challenges in networking as they move back into the private working world, any additional opportunties improve their employment outlook. Fortuntately, a recent study performed by PayScale shows that veterans have better than average technical skills. This works well with GE’s plans to add aviation jobs in manufacturing, research and development.
According to ABC News, “The company says it will expand its aviation business in 2012, investing $580 million in new plants, and adding more than 400 new aviation-related jobs in manufacturing, research and development over the next three years. In 2013 it will open new plants in Ellisville, Miss.; Auburn, Ala.; and Dayton, Ohio. The company expects its deliveries of commercial and military jet engines to grow from 3,000 in 2011 to 3,400 in 2012 and 3,800 in 2013.”
PayScale recently released an infographic supporting this move by veterans into technology jobs in the private sector titled, “Veterans Move Into Technology Jobs.” We discovered that tech pay grew every quarter of 2011, which should present some positive opportunities for veterans returning to the U.S. civilian workforce. This move by GE represents 5 percent of the 100,000 job challenge issued by First Lady Michelle Obama.
The common perception of veterans in the job market isn’t necessarily representative of their job skills. “A lot of times when people think of veterans they think of ground troops, they don’t think of the technical equipment that they maintain and use. This technical know-how gives vets a lot of offer in today’s work world,” says PayScale’s research analytics manager Katie Bardaro.
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