Organizations Work to Help Returning Engineers Find Jobs

I’m a voracious reader. I seek out good news stories and these days they’re hard to find. So when I come upon a newspaper article that is all about helping others, I like to share the wealth with others who want a break from all the bad news that peppers our media.

Last week the Houston Chronicle had a feature article by Jan Burns that focused on helping returning veterans – who happen to be engineers – make career connections. Lots of great information to share with others. The need is great – for skilled engineers and to help our veterans find long-term employment. Here are some highlights from her story, and links to the organizations that are doing such great work.

There’s a strong long-term need for engineers, and because of that, various groups are working to see that returning veteran engineers can help fill the demand in that profession.

“The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) has filled a vital role in helping engineering service men and women transition from service.” They also hosted a “…job fair that focused on placing servicemen and women with skills and experience in engineering, architecture, construction, and environmental and facility management,” said L. Eileen Erickson, APR&M, director, communications and marketing, associate publisher, SAME. “In addition, SAME holds an annual Transition Workshop and Job Fair to offer assistance to transitioning service members and to help them find jobs within our sustaining member companies – all of which are looking for professionals in the A/E/C, environmental and facility management areas.”

The article goes on to note that “…this year’s SME (formerly known as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) FABTECH event in Atlanta (which opens on Veterans Day), Workshops for Warriors was selected as the nonprofit organization that FABTECH Cares funds will go toward.”

President Barack Obama has stated he wants to make sure that certifications veterans will need for good jobs are in place. The Department of Defense’s Credentialing and Licensing Task Force works with key stakeholders and civilian credentialing and licensing agencies to address gaps between military training programs and requirements. It also provides service members with greater access to necessary certification and licensing exams.

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) supports the federal government’s undertaking to assure gainful employment of returning veterans. To that end, it has recommended certain policies for adoption by state boards of licensure.

As for experience requirements, to be acceptable, engineering experience gained in the armed forces must be of a character equivalent to that which would have been gained in the civilian sector while doing similar work. Specifically:

• If a PE license expires while on active duty in a location outside of the United States, state boards are requested to provide a time period for renewal of the earliest of up to 180 days from date of separation from the military or upon return to the United States. The license of a member of the armed forces, who is on active duty outside of the United States should remain valid until he or she returns, and for 180 days thereafter.
• In addition, NSPE recommends that licensees serving on active duty in the armed forces outside of the U.S. for a period of time exceeding 180 consecutive days in a licensure renewal period should be exempt from obtaining the continuing professional development hours (PDHs) required during that licensure renewal period.
• Also, they should have payment of renewal fees waived while serving outside the U.S.

These recommendations seem more than reasonable to help returning veterans with engineering skills tap into the jobs that are waiting for them when they return. Another good resource is VetsBridge, a talent recruiting service that helps veterans make career connections – not just in engineering fields, but all types of jobs with military-friendly companies. The company also offers some great tips to help veterans create profiles that highlight their significant expertise, making them stand head and shoulders above others who may not have the same skill sets. Check it out: www.vetsbridge.com.

- See more at: http://blog.vetsbridge.com/organizations-work-to-help-returning-engineer...

I’m a voracious reader. I seek out good news stories and these days they’re hard to find. So when I come upon a newspaper article that is all about helping others, I like to share the wealth with others who want a break from all the bad news that peppers our media.

Last week the Houston Chronicle had a feature article by Jan Burns that focused on helping returning veterans – who happen to be engineers – make career connections. Lots of great information to share with others. The need is great – for skilled engineers and to help our veterans find long-term employment. Here are some highlights from her story, and links to the organizations that are doing such great work.

There’s a strong long-term need for engineers, and because of that, various groups are working to see that returning veteran engineers can help fill the demand in that profession.

“The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) has filled a vital role in helping engineering service men and women transition from service.” They also hosted a “…job fair that focused on placing servicemen and women with skills and experience in engineering, architecture, construction, and environmental and facility management,” said L. Eileen Erickson, APR&M, director, communications and marketing, associate publisher, SAME. “In addition, SAME holds an annual Transition Workshop and Job Fair to offer assistance to transitioning service members and to help them find jobs within our sustaining member companies – all of which are looking for professionals in the A/E/C, environmental and facility management areas.”

The article goes on to note that “…this year’s SME (formerly known as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) FABTECH event in Atlanta (which opens on Veterans Day), Workshops for Warriors was selected as the nonprofit organization that FABTECH Cares funds will go toward.”

President Barack Obama has stated he wants to make sure that certifications veterans will need for good jobs are in place. The Department of Defense’s Credentialing and Licensing Task Force works with key stakeholders and civilian credentialing and licensing agencies to address gaps between military training programs and requirements. It also provides service members with greater access to necessary certification and licensing exams.

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) supports the federal government’s undertaking to assure gainful employment of returning veterans. To that end, it has recommended certain policies for adoption by state boards of licensure.

As for experience requirements, to be acceptable, engineering experience gained in the armed forces must be of a character equivalent to that which would have been gained in the civilian sector while doing similar work. Specifically:

• If a PE license expires while on active duty in a location outside of the United States, state boards are requested to provide a time period for renewal of the earliest of up to 180 days from date of separation from the military or upon return to the United States. The license of a member of the armed forces, who is on active duty outside of the United States should remain valid until he or she returns, and for 180 days thereafter.
• In addition, NSPE recommends that licensees serving on active duty in the armed forces outside of the U.S. for a period of time exceeding 180 consecutive days in a licensure renewal period should be exempt from obtaining the continuing professional development hours (PDHs) required during that licensure renewal period.
• Also, they should have payment of renewal fees waived while serving outside the U.S.

These recommendations seem more than reasonable to help returning veterans with engineering skills tap into the jobs that are waiting for them when they return. Another good resource is VetsBridge, a talent recruiting service that helps veterans make career connections – not just in engineering fields, but all types of jobs with military-friendly companies. The company also offers some great tips to help veterans create profiles that highlight their significant expertise, making them stand head and shoulders above others who may not have the same skill sets. Check it out: www.vetsbridge.com.

- See more at: http://blog.vetsbridge.com/organizations-work-to-help-returning-engineer...