WAUKESHA, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — A non-profit employer association is working to help integrate veterans into the workforce in the state of Wisconsin.

There are a large number of veterans throughout the state without a job. According to MRA – The Management Association, a non-profit employer association, there are more than 8,000 unemployed veterans from 18-64 years old in Wisconsin. It’s a statistic they are hoping to change.

A typical work day for veteran Nathan Yaun involves driving around job sites to make sure things look safe. He’s a safety specialist with Construction Resources Management.

But, back at the office both Nathan and his co-worker Robert, bond over a common denominator, they are both veterans.

“I was in the army and I was a medic, that’s what I joined to be,” Veteran Robert Koerber said.

“I joined the army reserves in 2002 and I was an army engineer,” Veteran Nathan Yaun said.

However, these days neither Nathan nor Robert are doing the jobs they did while in the Army. But, they have applied those skills they learned while doing those jobs, into civilian life.

“There are also some underlying soft skills that you learn along the way in the military that you don’t learn elsewhere,” Koerber said.

However, translating those skills into a resume isn’t always easy for veterans.

“One of the best skills that they have is they are mission driven and they are able to focus on what is the goal and what is the objective of what we are trying to accomplish here,” MRA Director of Member Relations Beth Mathison said.

MRA says it is working to help employers better understand hiring and working alongside veterans and the benefits it can bring into the workplace.

“Having someone who is mission driven, who can see the big picture but can act on those details is pretty critical in today’s environment,” Mathison said.

For more information how you or your business can become involved in hiring veterans or how to make a work environment more veteran friendly, you can reach out to Beth Mathison by phone or email.

Email: Beth.Mathison@mranet.org

Phone:262-696-3346