Google has announced a major new initiative aimed at helping veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses enter the skilled trades. The tech giant is partnering with several prominent national organizations to reach this goal.
The program collaborates with Hiring Our Heroes, Student Veterans of America, and the Home Builders Institute. This effort comes against the backdrop of a severe nationwide worker shortage. Surging demand driven by the artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout has amplified the need for talent.
Google partners with veterans groups to help 25,000 enter skilled trades careers amid worker shortage https://t.co/NiWLJ7cNcN
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Tim Chadwick serves as Google's data center operations area lead for Ohio and Indiana. He also spent twenty-one years serving in the United States Navy.
Chadwick praised the new rollout in the company announcement. He noted the program is making it easier for veterans to transition into high-growth careers.
"As a leader for Google's data centers in Ohio and Indiana, I know there's a major need for these types of professionals," Chadwick said. He pointed to open positions like master electricians and lead pipefitters that provide long-term stability.
Veterans bring unique abilities to these demanding roles. Skills like problem-solving under pressure and teamwork make them ideal candidates for trade careers.
Cory Boatwright leads the Student Veterans of America as president and chief executive officer. He noted that recent roundtable discussions revealed a strong desire among veterans for practical career pathways.
Investing in the skilled trades is an investment in America's future.
In a joint op-ed, leaders from BlackRock, @Carhartt, @Ford and @Google share how the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades will build a pipeline for skilled workers, scale proven training models to create the…
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"Our job is to make sure their pursuit is successful and leads somewhere great – skilled trades are an important part of that equation, particularly as states and employers look for talent to fill critical workforce needs," Boatwright said. He added that ignoring the trades would leave organizations behind.
The latest announcement builds on previous workforce development commitments. Google previously co-founded the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades alongside other major corporate partners. That broader alliance aims to train one million workers by the end of the decade.