
Fortune 500 companies like Hershey, Kraft Foods, and ConAgra Food subsidiary, Lamb Weston, as well as Nestle Waters, part of Nestle, which was named one of the world's top ten most reputable companies this year, are proving this to be true with hiring initiatives aimed directly at
veterans. These military-friendly companies are committed to hiring veterans
throughout their ranks and are offering them excellent leadership development, benefits,
and incentives.
One of the reasons these
companies are turning to veterans is revealed in the KPMG survey. Lack of a
qualified workforce went from being the eighth top barrier to growth in 2011 to
sixth in 2012. As in so many other industries, food & beverage companies
are not only finding skilled employees in veterans but also an innovative
answer to their labor shortage.
Positions in this industry
are widely varied thanks to the many different functions it takes to research,
create, move, and sell food & beverage. Two popular career paths in which
veterans excel are Production Supervisor and Maintenance Technician. While it
may not be immediately apparent how military jobs translate to these positions,
military occupations like a Public Works Operations Officer, Maintenance
and Production Chief, Infrastructure Systems Superintendent, and Maintenance Management Specialist are just a few that cross-over well.
Former Marine Corps Ground
Supply Officer Jordan Odegaard is an Orion alumnus who began a new career as a
Production Supervisor with Hershey earlier this year. Odegaard served
as an Officer-in-Charge of a section and dealt with a variety of personnel issues that he now
faces in his civilian position. “In both my current civilian position and
previous military position, I must be flexible with my hours, care about the
people I supervise, work closely with peers, constantly learn new things, make
monetary decisions, model professional behavior, adhere to standards, hold
employees accountable, exercise problem solving skills, analyze cost-benefit
scenarios, handle HR issues (harassment, absences), etc. ,” he explains, “Ultimately,
it comes down to adhering to set standards, and holding others to those standards.”
Another Orion alumnus in
this industry is Joshua Hart. He says that his military career
as a Gunner´s Mate in the Navy polished his punctuality, ability to work under
high stress conditions, and leadership, making them as flawless as possible in preparation
for his career as a Mechatronics Technician. “The
most rewarding thing about the career I am starting is the combination of
school and OJT experience I receive.
Hershey´s is a giant family. It´s just like in the military where you work
together to get the job done,” Hart says.
Whether it’s chocolate,
macaroni & cheese, or bottled water, globally recognized companies are finding talented employees in veterans. Want to read more about a day in the life
of a veteran in the industry? Check out this GI Jobs article about Syrhan Biray and his
career at Hershey.
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