Facility managers of all organizational types are struggling to recruit and hire employees. Many suggest veterans gain skills through service that would make them a great fit for the industry. The journey can be challenging since the skills they gain during their service seldom fit neatly into a particular job in the private sector.
Still, the skills veterans gain through their service are real and valuable, according to Steve Smith, the director of facilities at UT Southwestern and 2023 Facility Champion award recipient. Smith spent eight years as an Army officer leading troops in an engineering combat environment currently manages 70 people and is responsible for everything not medically related to the building.
“Veterans come with tangible skills that might not show up on resume but are essential to the work environment,” Smith says.
Skills and traits that men and women learn while in active duty include:
Many of these skills are specifically relevant to the position of facility manager, which is one of the reasons Smith is actively looking to hire them at all levels. The medical center has a goal to make veterans 20 percent of the workforce.
“I have quite a few veterans work for me and have seen them become excellent facility leaders,” Smith says. Their ability to push through, figure out solutions, and recognize that the mission is bigger than them makes veterans invaluable members of my team.”
Less than 25 percent of veterans aged 34 and under have a Bachelor's degree, according to a Lumina Foundation report. However, according to the same report, U.S. veterans are far more likely than non-veterans to have alternative credentials.
Smith, who earned a degree from Texas A&M in Civil Engineering, notes few college degrees directly lead one to becoming a facility manager.
“Few colleges offer anything that teaches all the skills needed to manage a facility manager,” Smith says. “People can advance in the industry and reach high levels as long as they have a desire to learn and apply themselves.”
Larry Bernstein is a freelance writer based in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
