As we celebrate the Fourth of July, we commemorate our nation’s independence and the brave men and women who have served to protect our freedoms. This celebration is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by our veterans, making it an opportune moment to reflect on the importance of supporting them. For us, the TMC Veterans Committee, one of those ways we continue to support is through our efforts in employment.
Texas is home to approximately 1.4 million veterans, making it the second-highest veteran population in the country. This accounts for about 6.2% of the adult civilian population in Texas. As a major urban center, Houston is a significant hub for these veterans, contributing to its rich and diverse workforce.
Veterans bring a wealth of skills and experiences that are invaluable to any workplace:
- Unique Skill Sets: Veterans possess unique skills from their military service, including teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving under pressure. While these attributes highlight their soft skills, their technical abilities, learned through extensive apprenticeship and on-the-job training, are often overlooked but are equally significant assets.
- Enhanced Work Ethic and Leadership: Veterans demonstrate strong accountability, commitment, and leadership, which are essential organizational traits.
- Financial Incentives: Employers can benefit from financial incentives like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and salary subsidies during training.
While most organizations continue to strive to find these highly qualified veterans and transitioning service members to add to their teams, specific organizations, those considered federal contractors, are required through the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) to establish a veteran hiring benchmark of 5.2% of the workforce.
Strategies to Meet These Benchmarks:
- Partner with Veteran Organizations: Collaborate with partners like NextOp & Texas Veterans Commission on initiatives like the Texas Medical Center’s Veterans Committee to access a pool of highly qualified veterans.
- Leverage VA Resources: Use resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs to support the hiring and training of veterans.
- Engage in Outreach: To increase visibility and attract veteran talent, participate in veteran-specific job fairs and networking events.
By implementing these guidelines, employers comply with federal requirements and benefit from the exceptional skills veterans bring to the workforce. This leads me to the next question, what does success look like?
Success here at the TMC Veteran Committee is the following:
Ashton Harper: “NextOp personnel helped me by informing me of the TMC Veteran Hiring Fair in which I met MD Anderson, and shortly thereafter received my job offer.”
Leroy Pullins: “I met NextOp at the TMC Veteran Committee career fair, one of the Veteran Service Organizations. Their staff provided insight into resumes, at the time I had one tailored towards healthcare administration but they saw I had experience in recruiting during my time in the Navy so he questioned why not also pursue a career in that. This conversation ultimately led me to my selection as a Talent Acquisition Partner at Ben Taub Hospital.”
This Independence Day, Fourth of July, let’s honor our veterans by providing them with meaningful employment opportunities. Hiring veterans is a win-win, enriching our organizations with their unmatched skills and dedication while supporting their transition to civilian life. For more information on how to help veterans, email our Texas Medical Center’s Veteran Committee @ tmcveteranscommittee@gmail.com and explore resources available through the VA and other support programs.
To register and discover more about the 2024 TMC Veterans Committee Hiring Event, click here.
Bibliography
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Veterans Are Valuable Assets – Veterans Employment Toolkit. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/valuableassets.asp
Office of the Texas Governor. (n.d.). Demographics for Veterans. Retrieved from https://gov.texas.gov/organization/disabilities/veteransUSAFacts. (2023, October 27). Veterans in Texas: Statistics, rankings, and data trends on population, demographics, and more. Retrieved from https://usafacts.org/topics/veterans/state/texas/
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, VEVRAA Hiring Benchmark
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/vevraa/hiring-benchmark
By: Creshall Byrd and Charles Bischoff
