When U.S. service members move from the military into civilian life, it’s not always a smooth transition. Composed of 20.4 million men and women in 2017 – about 8% of the adult population – veterans are a large and diverse group. They offer a wide range of capabilities and qualifications that could help fill talent gaps in the private sector – yet veterans still remain an underutilized human resource.
The unemployment rate for veterans who were active duty any time since September 2001 was 4.5% in 2017; by comparison, the unemployment rate for the general population was 3.9% in March 2018. But veteran underemployment is also a challenge; one study found that nearly one-third of veteran job seekers are underemployed.
Bridging the divide between veteran job seekers and civilian hiring managers is a complex problem. Veterans often struggle to fit their skills into an unfamiliar corporate framework. And hiring managers may fail to understand how military experience is relevant to the roles they’re trying to fill.
York Solutions’ Barriers to Entry program (B2E) is designed to address this problem. B2E aims to remove the obstacles standing in the way of under-represented groups from pursuing careers in IT consulting. There are millions of smart, capable people who are re-entering the workforce after serving in the military, raising families, going back to school, or switching jobs. When companies overlook this talent pool, they miss out on an opportunity to gain a competitive hiring advantage.
Through B2E, York Solutions is helping veterans get back to work, and companies find the talent they need to succeed. Participants in the paid program receive in-depth classroom training, mentorship, and coaching to prepare them to enter IT project management careers upon completion.
“Veterans enter the civilian job market with a long list of valuable qualifications, including technological expertise, and leadership and management experience,” said Richard Walker, York Solutions’ CEO. “Meanwhile, companies are grappling with a serious talent shortage, especially in tech positions. B2E helps solve this ongoing problem by creating a new pipeline of talent.”
Learn more about York Solutions’ Barriers to Entry program.