In the evolving world of worker recruitment, veterans are gaining increased attention for their discipline, technical and leadership skills. In a recent study from CareerBuilder.com, 29 percent of employers are actively recruiting veterans, which is an increase of 9 percentage points from 2011.
CareerBuilder's survey included 2,655 hiring managers and human resources professional in the United States. The trend also is alive and well in the plastics industry.
Uniform Color Co., in Holland, Mich., has been recognized as a military-friendly employer. Kim Miller, its director of human resources, said that focus on military is an imperative. UCC was recognized by the Department of Defense with a 2012 “Employer Support” Award.
“We are a patriotic group of companies that are committed to doing the right thing by supporting our military personnel and understand the transferrable skills that can benefit our organizations,” Miller wrote in a recent email about the Audia Group of Cos. that includes UCC, Washington Penn Plastic Co. Inc. and Southern Polymer.
“As a group of companies, we are able to extend our candidate pool to individuals that exhibit the characteristics that we look for in employees: leadership, integrity, collaboration, problem solving, project management, accountability and future potential.”
Miller will join several other experts in veterans hiring during Plastics News' upcoming 2013 Executive Forum. The program includes Dennis O. May, director of the veterans employment services office for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Joe Barto, principal and founder of TMG Inc., a training and performance-improvement consulting firm based in Spotsylvania, Va.
Key facts:
The Industry Leadership & Skills Summit
When: March 3-6, 2013
Where: Saddlebrook Resort, Tampa, Fla.
Cost: $1,095 (processors & brand owners)
$1,395 (non-processors)
Information: 330-865-6135
or www.plasticsnews.com/forum2013
Platinum sponsor: The Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.
