Talk to those in the know and it’s easy to see why trucking industry titans keep pushing hard to recruit military veterans to become diesel technicians particularly at a time when competition for their skills and discipline is probably as keen as ever.
“Veterans are wired for success and bring a strong foundation of employment fundamentals and skills,” said Zach Clark, human resources manager at Daimler Trucks North America. “Vets exude critical thinking skills, unique problem-solving aptitude, and agile thinking when approaching problems or tasks.”
Clark, who also serves as the national chair for the Community Aiding Military within the Organization (CAMO), also pointed to another important attribute veterans bring to the table that shops long for: unbiased team building.
“They come from all walks of life and are therefore acclimated to working with people of diverse backgrounds,” said Clark, a former Marine. “They’re team players that know how to both provide direction and follow it. Vets excel at finding common ground and building relationships to get things done.”
Recruiting vets, however, is easier said than done. Ed Coull, national director of military admissions at Universal Technical Institute, travels three weeks each month to U.S. military installations to recruit servicemen and women into UTI’s technical schools.
