Other Voices: Industry credentials and veterans a pathway to closing the skills gap

Editor’s Note: The following column by Leo Reddy, chairman and CEO of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council, is part of Modern’s Other Voices column. The series features ideas, opinions and insights from end-users, analysts, systems integrators and OEMs. Click here to learn about submitting a column for consideration.

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Everywhere you turn there are industry reports about the widening skills gap, especially in industrial trades like transportation, distribution and logistics (TDL). Companies continue to complain that they can not find skilled workers, that they are on the brink of a retiring baby boomer population, that there is a growing need due to reshoring, and most of all that there is a lack of a well-trained workforce.

On the other side, potential workers are struggling to gain the necessary experience and advanced training to enhance their employability. One group that has the necessary work experience, but previously lacked a way to effectively communicate their abilities to employers, is veterans. This is especially true in TDL since the U.S. military is built on logistics.

Often, service members have significantly more experience managing logistics operations than their civilian counterparts of the same age and education level due to their in-depth training during deployments. However, it has been difficult for many transitioning service members to translate their full range of experience and knowledge to civilian jobs.

In order to better position transitioning veterans and help them to find jobs with a living wage that is at or equal to their compensation while in service, the military launched the We Can’t Wait initiative in 2011. Its purpose was to allow active duty, reserve and guard members to earn industry credentials in their field while still in service to ease the transition when they eventually moved to a civilian job.

For the material handling industry, service members have the opportunity to earn the Certified Logistics Associate (CLA) and Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) credentials offered by the nationwide Manufacturing Skill Standards Council. CLA and CLT help military personnel understand how their military occupational skills can translate into a civilian career and teaches them the terminology used by industry that is necessary to secure and excel in civilian TDL jobs.

It’s a win-win. Employers gain a pipeline of experienced, industry-certified workers, and Veterans have a smoother transition from military service to civilian employment. TDL companies interested in interviewing vets with a CLA/CLT credentials should contact Rebekah Hutton at [email protected].