Each year, approximately 200,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces, stationed in over 140 Military installations worldwide, will separate from active duty. History tells us that too many service members have challenges finding employment after transitioning out of the Military. Fortunately, there are educational and career programs intended to support individuals in the process and prepare them with the right tools to be successful.
SkillBridge is a program offered by the Department of Defense (DoD) that connects service members with partnering companies to participate in industry-specific training programs while transitioning out of their Military careers. The program provides a great opportunity to gain valuable civilian work experience through apprenticeship or internship training. Military members are eligible to participate in SkillBridge during the last 180 days of service, and their spouses may participate while their partner is in service.
DoD SkillBridge Internship Program at SAM
SAM is excited to announce our DoD SkillBridge Internship Program, designed to give transitioning veterans the knowledge and skills necessary to become field or office technicians on our survey teams. These individuals will be trained in land surveying, aerial mapping, inspection, and other services from start to finish, with exposure to SAM’s latest technologies. Internship opportunities are available in all of our 40 office locations across the U.S.
Raymond Amador recently joined SAM as our Military Program Manager. Mr. Amador served in the U.S. Army for 17 and a half years and plays an active role in helping to grow our veteran workforce.
“We currently employ approximately 120 veterans here at SAM, and have already seen a growing interest in our SkillBridge program. There’s a huge talent pool, and the great thing about veterans is that they know how to follow direction. If you ask them to be someplace at 3 in the morning, they’ll be there 15 minutes early. These are highly-skilled people that we’re bringing in to become full-time employees eventually, and we’re proud to have these great members of the team contributing to our business operations and communities,” said Mr. Amador.
The SkillBridge program benefits veterans and strengthens SAM’s overall network and capabilities. Throughout the process, the program allows us to get individuals acclimated to our work culture and see what strengths and characteristics each person has that are translatable for different roles within the company. Then we can better determine the best fit for them when we look at full-time employment and create career pathways that enable these veterans to progress in multiple directions within the company.
Our long-term goals for the program are to reach a 10% veteran hiring rate, allowing us to apply for the HIRE Vets Medallion Award at the Platinum Level from the Department of Labor. In the future, SAM hopes to have Veteran Ambassadors in offices across the country. We recognize the importance of building a veteran network to bring more members of our Military to the organization. When they come in, they will have a soft place to land, and there’s a SAM team member to support them who has successfully been through the transition from military to civilian life.
Learn more from SAM Talent Acquisition Manager Kelli Howard as she discussed the benefits of SkillBridge and opportunities at SAM on the Gulf Coast Growth Show podcast – Economic Alliance Houston Port Region.
We encourage all veterans to check out SkillBridge and apply today: https://careers.sam.biz/military.