HIRING VETS

AAR Aircraft Services Provides Opportunities For Veterans

By Erica McCreedy

As the Southwest Louisiana economic boom continues to take root, more than 40,000 jobs will need qualified and talented workers to fill them.

The demand for skilled workers is astronomical, and employers are using creative methods to recruit individuals who can deliver results.;

“As the workforce in Southwest Louisiana grows, employers are seeking potential employees who are highly skilled, dependable, drug-free and team players,” said R.B. Smith, vice president of workforce development for the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “The available number of local people that fit this profile is very low.”

Locally, there is a substantial focus on investing in the next-generation workforce by looking to technical college graduates and those with vocational training.

For potential employees with a military background, AAR Aircraft Services connects with veterans and offers them an ideal workplace for their military training and skills.

“With the current reduction in forces of our United States military, many service men and women are returning to the private life needing good jobs,” said Smith.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 570,000 veterans were unemployed in 2014 in the U.S. Southwest Louisiana has its fair share of veterans in need of rewarding civilian careers that make use of the skills gleaned in the military.

AAR Aircraft Services, located at Chennault International Airport, is the largest provider of airframe maintenance in the Americas. The company employs more than 5,000 team members in 60 different locations across the world. Nearly 23 percent of AAR employees are veterans, and at AAR’s Lake Charles site, veterans make up 18 percent of the local team.

“When you hire a veteran, you are hiring a determined and dedicated individual that knows how to succeed in the mission they are given,” said Greg Dellinger, AAR Aircraft Service’s director of talent acquisition strategy.

Nationwide, there seems to be a common misconception that veterans simply don’t have the skills needed for a civilian job. But more than 80 percent of military jobs have direct or close civilian equivalents. The U.S. military offers careers in a diverse range of fields, including nursing, legal, finance and human resources, just to name a few. No matter what industry, veterans have the skills many local companies need.

Joseph Bonita, vice president of operations for AAR Aircraft Services in its Lake Charles site, retired from the U.S. Air Force after 24 years of service.

Joseph Bonita is the vice president of operations for AAR Aircraft Services in its Lake Charles site. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 24 years of service. Bonita’s robust experience in aviation made AAR Aircraft Services a natural fit after the Air Force. “I feel that my transition from the Air Force to a civilian career went very smoothly. The skill sets that I had were a pretty close match to the skill sets that the [aviation] industry was looking for. I see a lot of guys from the military who have good transitions to a new career.”

As a global aerospace and defense contractor, AAR Aircraft Services understands the value of the skills veterans bring to the table. “As a vibrant and growing aviation support company in Lake Charles, we work with airlines and defense customers, so we have a company-wide veteran hiring strategy,” Dellinger said. “We work hard to be a top military-friendly employer.”

Unlike most civilian workers, veterans who join the AAR Aircraft Services team arrive on the first day of the job with an understanding of the government programs that AAR supports. As a result, less time is spent training new employees who are veterans and more time is spent accomplishing company goals. Veterans’ knowledge of the military gives the aviation company a distinct advantage with government programs.

“Veterans are trained, proficient and experienced in doing productive work to meet the goals and objectives of their units,” Smith said. “They bring this same focus into the private workforce. Because of this combination of skills and experience, employers such as AAR Aircraft Services find it advantageous to hire veterans for their workforce.”

U.S. Navy vet and AAR Aircraft Services employee Troy Primus.

Eight months ago, Troy Primus moved to the area from North Carolina to join AAR Aircraft Services as a program manager. Primus served six years in the U.S. Navy, where he worked in aviation and aircraft maintenance.

“My transition to a civilian career was smooth,” Primus said. “AAR is a great place for veterans because the skills that so many veterans have translate really well to an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) company.”

In addition to a strong foundation of technical experience relevant to Southwest Louisiana’s workforce needs, veterans also carry unshakeable dedication and discipline that can benefit any potential employer. “If you think about it, veterans have been trained to defend our country. When they return and enter the civilian workforce, they are already well-trained and they know about teamwork, camaraderie and discipline,” said Edward Hudson, president of the Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission. Hudson retired from the U.S. Army after 26 years of service and is a strong advocate for hiring local veterans.

Service men and women bring new levels of accountability and dependability that are not often found in new employees. The work ethic veterans bring to companies like AAR Aircraft Services directly contributes to a company’s overall productivity and success.

“Veterans think outside of the box to get the job done, and they have unique experiences from their time in the field that civilians simply don’t have,” Primus said.

Millions of dollars are spent on the training and development of service men and women who are often placed in situations that require a great deal of responsibility. Numerous veterans leave the military with operations experience, strong leadership skills and the ability to work in fast-paced, stressful environments.

Greg Dellinger, AAR Aircraft Service’s director of talent acquisition strategy.

“Veterans are also more likely to be permanent workers because they understand that when they sign a service contract in the military, they might have a tour for several years. They understand what commitment means,” Hudson said.

Civilian careers, such as those at AAR Aircraft Services, allow veterans to exercise their skills and talents while enjoying the benefits of a full-time job. “I feel that veterans are more appreciative of having a job, so you can count on them to show up and do their best every day,” Primus said. “So many military service men and women don’t see home for months or years. Veterans value having a job at home, going to work every day and being able to come home to their families every night.”

In August, AAR Aircraft Services celebrated 60 years in the aviation industry. “From the very beginning, the AAR leadership has understood the special value that veterans bring to the workforce,” said Dellinger. “They will make you proud, just as we are proud of them.”

AAR Aircraft Services is a global aerospace and defense contractor and the biggest MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) provider in the country. For more information, visit www.aarcorp.com.