The U.S. military provides training in-house and with contractors to upskill enlisted and officer ranks into the most advanced fighting force in the world, and those skills are effective at more than defending our country. Skills at adapting and overcoming are a hallmark of American military personnel and these skills can hardly be overrated, especially during the current pandemic.

Despite the lack of active duty installations in the state, 6.4% of Minnesotan residents are military veterans, similar to Texas and Louisiana which both have large active duty installations. Central Minnesota has roughly 20,000 military veterans, representing just 3.7% of the overall population. This small but distinguished group of residents have been equipped with a wide variety of skills and they are willing to put them to work. Veterans in the region have a 79.8% participation rate in the labor force, providing a willing and able workforce.

Central Minnesota's labor force benefits from military veterans as they transition their skills and experiences into the civilian labor market. Ranging from administrative occupations in supply, legal affairs and finance to combat specialties and healthcare, veterans have a wide range of abilities.

According to recent data, 82% of military personnel are enlisted with the remaining 18% working as officers. Typically officers provide strategic leadership to enlisted ranks.

Enlisted personnel typically do the following:

• Participate in, or support, military operations, such as combat or training operations, or humanitarian or disaster relief
• Operate, maintain, and repair equipment
• Perform technical and support activities
• Supervise junior enlisted personnel

Officers typically do the following:

• Plan, organize, and lead troops and activities in military operations
• Manage enlisted personnel
• Operate and command aircraft, ships, or armored vehicles
• Provide medical, legal, engineering, and other services to military personnel

The experiences and skills military veterans have can provide an excellent value to organizations in Central Minnesota. Our veterans might have a broader variety of expertise than people think (see Figure 1).

Employers that are looking for skilled workers would do well to tap into the region's veteran population. Likewise, if you are a veteran and seeking employment, the following steps can help:

1. Contact a CareerForce Veterans Employment Representative. They work with employers as well as one-on-one with veterans to provide custom-tailored services.
2. Post your resume on MinnesotaWorks.net.
3. Visit CareerForce Veterans Resources for information on upcoming career fairs, employer hiring events, job club networking, job transition meetings and more.
4. Explore career options with CareerForceMN.com or CareerOneStop.

Veterans, active duty military service members and their spouses are also invited to participate in this year's Virtual Veterans Career Fair taking place on November 19.

For More Information

Contact Luke Greiner at 320-308-5378.