Editor’s note: The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Veterans should verify the information with the organization offering.
For transitioning Veterans, the construction industry is a popular sector to find a new career. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 528,000 Veterans work in the construction industry.
As one of America’s largest and most important industries, construction provides Veterans a chance to continue helping strengthen our nation. Construction is the foundation for nearly everything that happens in our communities.
Hospitals, schools, churches and all other structures are built and maintained by skilled professionals. Construction workers build roads, bridges, utilities and other infrastructure that keeps our world running. Construction offers a fulfilling and meaningful career option for Veterans seeking new ways to make an impact.
From defending our nation to building it, a career in construction offers Veterans a familiar environment they can thrive in. Many Veterans say the coordination, work ethic and teamwork required in construction reminds them of the military. The structure and culture these Veterans experienced during their service equips them well for a construction career.
“I honestly and truly found that brotherhood feeling again,” said Sean Ray, who served as a Navy sonar technician. After his service, Ray became a pipefitter and is now vice president of Craft Workforce Development at Sundt Construction. “There were like-minded people, they were intelligent, willing to teach me, and I kind of fell right in.”
Another factor that helps Veterans make a successful transition to the construction industry is their technical skills. Using power tools, operating equipment and other hands-on skills that are taught in military training can apply to construction tasks.
“I think that construction aligns very well with the military,” Ray added.
In fact, military technical training gives Veterans a head start in earning industry-recognized construction credentials.
The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) salutes Veterans by helping create a seamless transition into the construction workforce. As the leading nonprofit construction education foundation, NCCER established the Hard Hat Heroes initiative to help credential Veterans interested in construction.
Through Hard Hat Heroes, Veterans can align their military occupational specialties with NCCER’s construction craft training crosswalks. Relevant military training that can be applied to equivalent construction skills allows Veterans to earn free reciprocal NCCER credentials. These credentials are recognized by construction employers and can help Veterans secure jobs and earn competitive wages. By acquiring these respected credentials, Veterans can transition from active duty to civilian life easier.
NCCER and Pearson also provide complimentary online codes for NCCER’s Core Curriculum to service members. Core helps prepare craft professionals through teaching job site safety, construction math, reading construction drawings and other fundamental skills.
