When we consider who to hire to put on our team and your job site, we consistently look to one group of people who always go above and beyond: America’s heroes. Part of B&W Energy Services’ commitment to providing unparalleled results for our clients’ projects means hiring the best people for our team—and military veterans continue to surpass our expectations. They possess the character, skills and experiences essential to becoming a valuable team member and leader, and help achieve the best possible results for our clients’ projects. This is why B&W continues to invest in bringing veterans on board.
The industry needs veterans.
The fuel and petrochemical industries currently support nearly 2 million jobs and expect to support almost 4 million by 2025, while the construction industry expects to have a workforce shortage of 1.5 million by 2019. In our own backyard, approximately $30 billion in projects are currently underway in the Houston Metro area, and more than 120 petrochemical facilities in the US are expected to begin operations within the next decade.
As the industry expands, there are expected to be 19,000 new annual openings in both engineering and skilled craft sectors through 2017. This growing workforce shortage in the industry, paired with the growing number of service members leaving the military, seems to offer a fortuitous opportunity for both the pre-commissioning and commissioning industry and job seekers. Military veterans need civilian jobs to which they can adapt their military experiences and qualifications, and our industry needs the unique skills and characteristics that veteran employees can bring to the team.
Why hire veterans?
Veterans have a unique set of skills and experience. Combined with their drive, commitment and hardworking attitudes, veterans continue to be a valuable solution to the industry’s ever-growing workforce shortage. Studies show that veteran employees perform 4% higher than non-veteran employees, and have a 3% lower turnover rate. Veterans possess transferable skills and have a proven ability to learn new skills and concepts, making them ideal hires for the pre-commissioning and commissioning cleaning industry, as they can be hired for their characteristics and trained in their skill gaps.
Additionally, veterans come from a place of tight schedules and limited resources, meaning they are able to perform efficiently under pressure. They have a unique global outlook that the industry requires, and high awareness of health and safety standards for both themselves and their peers. It is these unique capabilities and qualities that differentiate veterans and make them such valuable additions to the team.
B&W’s commitment
At B&W, we value the service and the commitment to hard work that veterans provide. To ease the transition into the civilian sector, we have created an organizational culture that offers resources for professional development for veterans, including our recently adopted mentoring program. We’re committed to hiring the best people for our team, and military veterans provide valuable skills that cannot be replicated.