The American people have a proud tradition of honoring their army veterans, but what are the companies that hire veterans the most?
“What our servicemen and women want, more than anything else, is the assurance of satisfactory employment upon their return to civil life.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The USA holds its veterans in very high regard. The tradition of paying tribute to the troops is a longstanding convention in the United States. Many companies affirm their support for the troops in emotionally-charged rhetoric. But do these companies that spend so much in embellishing their public image by boasting of their veteran-friendly policies, actually follow through on their promise to offer jobs to our veterans?
Jordan Tan / Shutterstock.com
Unfortunately, the ground realities reflect a much more bleak state of affairs. Despite the much touted PR campaigns, there are still many veterans who suffer from joblessness in the USA. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces since 2001 was at 5.1% in 2016, while the unemployment rate for veterans across the board was 4.3%.
After one has done their duty to the country, the least the nation can offer back to an army veteran is a job. Today we look at the companies that go beyond mere lip service and PR campaigns in honoring our brave men and women by truly becoming a veteran-friendly company. These companies talk the talk and walk the walk when it comes to offering employment to the country’s heroes. These companies have a proven track record of offering employment to veterans. Many of them offer jobs that take advantage of quantitative analytical skills. If you think mathematics is not your strong suit, check out this list on Best Careers if You are Bad at Math.
In a study conducted by Military Times, companies from across the USA were asked to take part in a thorough survey with over 90 questions. We have sorted the ranking by giving greatest weight to two crucial factors: 1) Percentage of veterans in the company and 2) Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans. We then ranked companies according to the sum of the above two variables. We also filtered out the companies that hired less than 500 military personnel in 2016 to ensure a fair comparison. Now, let’s see our list of companies that hire veterans.
15. AT&T
Percentage of veterans in the company: 4%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 13%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 1%
AT&T is a multinational telecommunications giant that offered employment to 3,445 veterans last year which is the largest number of veterans hired by a company last year on our list. It is targeting an ambitious goal of hiring an additional 10,000 veterans for a total of 20,000 by 2020.
rmnoa357 / Shutterstock.com
14. Waste Management
Percentage of veterans in the company: 8%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 13%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 10%
At number 14 on the list of companies that hire veterans , we have Waste Management, Inc. is an American waste management, comprehensive waste, and environmental services company in North America. Last year, they offered employment to 1,065 veterans.
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com
13. General Motors
Percentage of veterans in the company: 7%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 14%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 1%
It might come as a surprise that General Motors, a mainstay of American business, is the only auto manufacturer listed in the Military Times survey of the best employers for veterans. Other accreditations include being named a G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Employer, Military Spouse Friendly Employer, and a Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) Gold Certified Veteran-Friendly Employer. Now, let’s see what else we have on the list of companies that hire veterans.
Linda Parton / Shutterstock.com
12. The Exchange (Army & Air Force Exchange Service)
Percentage of veterans in the company: 11%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 13%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 20%
With a stated vision of being the “preferred retail and services provider for the military family through extraordinary customer service and value pricing”, The Exchange has continued its legacy of placing our troops first by hiring 588 veterans last year.
Glynnis Jones/Shutterstock.com
11. Werner Enterprises
Percentage of veterans in the company: 14%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 13%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 20%
Werner Enterprises is eleventh entry on our list of companies that hire veterans the most. This company is a pioneer in taking care of our veterans, as in 2006, Werner Enterprises announced the very first apprenticeship program in the transportation sector that focuses on the hiring of veterans as professional drivers.
FiledIMAGE/Shutterstock.com
10. USAA
Percentage of veterans in the company: 17%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 15%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 30%
Being a company that offers financial and insurance services to men and women in uniforms and their families, it only makes sense that The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) makes our list with 588 new hires from a military background last year.
Tashatuvango/Shutterstock.com
9. The Boeing Co.
Percentage of veterans in the company: 16%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 16%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 1%
Employing 22,204 military personnel in total and hiring 1,375 veterans only last year, The Boeing Company that ranks 9 on our list of companies that hire veterans which is a leading manufacturer of aircraft, rockets, and satellites worldwide is one of the trendsetters in providing employment to the men and women in uniform.
Chris Parypa Photography / Shutterstock.com
8. BAE Systems
Percentage of veterans in the company: 15%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 19%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 25%
A British multinational defense, security, and aerospace company, BAE Systems is among the largest suppliers to the US Department of Defense.
Jordan Tan / Shutterstock.com
7. Leidos
Percentage of veterans in the company: 17%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 18%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 15%
Leidos, an information technology company with close links to the defense industry, offered employment to 649 ex-military personnel in 2016. The IT industry has emerged as a lucrative destination for veterans and Leidos is one company that truly values the contribution of our heroes.
Copyright: welcomia / 123RF Stock Photo
6. BNSF Railway
Percentage of veterans in the company: 16%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 28%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: NA
Our second entry on the list of companies that hire veterans from the transportation industry, the BNSF Railway counts itself among the biggest freight railroad networks in North America.
chungking/Shutterstock.com
5. Booz Allen Hamilton
Percentage of veterans in the company: 32%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 17%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 70%
Booz Allen Hamilton, a renowned management consultancy, on-boarded 897 military personnel last year. Their open culture promotes the hiring of veterans not just as a smart PR tool, but as a smart business move. Take for example one of their leading employees, Eli Hinson, a former Marine, a wife and a mother with two disabilities – dyslexia and deafness in her left ear. Rather than being left to fend for herself, Booz Allen Hamilton has supported her in her 16-year career in which she has managed backend cyber-security for more than 40 internal websites.
Adam Gregor/Shutterstock.com
4. Lockheed Martin Corp
Percentage of veterans in the company: 24%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 36%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 18%
With an impressive 3305 veterans offered employment last year, Lockheed Martin, a global name in the aerospace industry, is fourth on our list of companies that hire veterans when it comes to companies that hired the most veterans last year. With its key operations in fields such as Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems and Space Systems, ex-military personnel are in high demand at Lockheed Martin.
Philip Pilosian / Shutterstock.com
3. Union Pacific Railroad
Percentage of veterans in the company: 21%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 49%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 15%
Another company from the transportation industry to make the list of companies that hire veterans is Union Pacific Railroad, North America’s premier railroad franchise, covering 23 states. Last year, it inducted 1,943 veterans into its ranks.
Pixabay/Public Domain
2. ManTech International Corp
Percentage of veterans in the company: 44%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 36%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 75%
Another entry on our list of companies that hire veterans from the defense and aerospace industry is ManTech International Corp, which was founded in 1968. It is a multi-billion-dollar public company that provides support to the government in in areas such as defense, intelligence, global logistics, law enforcement, science, administration, health, etc. It also provides cyber safety and vigilance services to key players in the private sector.
gualtiero boffi/Shutterstock.com
1. DynCorp International
Percentage of veterans in the company: 64%
Percentage of new hires in 2016 who are veterans: 64%
Percentage of recruiting budget for veterans: 50%
A leading aeronautics company, DynCorp International opened its doors to 1730 veterans this past year. The company is a private military contractor that has its roots in the aviation industry. Since its inception, it has branched into diverse fields such as Logistics, Operations, Intelligence and Training. Military personnel can find many different career paths to pursue in this company. With this company we conclude our list of companies that hire veterans the most.
Mark Agnor/Shutterstock.com
