Industry is a big word. Loosely defined, an industry is a grouping of businesses with a common method of generating profit. While the military’s mission is not to generate profit, but defend our country; the jobs in the military are so eclectic that it is difficult to find a military job that doesn’t directly translate into some needed industry position. Some of those militarylearned skills transfer between any industry: dependability, work ethic, commitment, teamwork. Veterans are finding that employers look for those non-industry specific attributes as much as they do professional training.
Advanced Technology Services
Andrew Forss currently serves in the 128th Air Refueling Wing with the Wisconsin Air National Guard. He also works as an aircraft electrical and environmental systems craftsman for Advanced Technology Services (ATS). Forss’ military responsibilities were not an exact match with his civilian job, but he has become a valuable member of the ATS team.
“Technical knowledge I acquired in the in the military did not directly translate into any kind of manufacturing career,” Forss said. “But the relevance lies in the foundation of knowledge acquired in military technical, and leadership schools. My military background showed ATS that I am capable of continuously learning and adapting to various situations, and can meet and exceed customer expectations.”
Advanced Technology Services is a leading supplier of outsourced factory maintenance, industrial component repair and IT services for top FORTUNE 500® companies (www.advancedtech.com).
Based in Peoria, Ill., ATS began as a spin-off enterprise from Caterpillar, and now has regional offices in Michigan, South Carolina and Chicago. It grew out of the need for American business to remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. ATS has a track record of increasing productivity for the leaders in automotive, consumer durables, heavy equipment, government, healthcare, finance and aerospace industries.
Holly Mosack, recruiting manager at ATS, oversees the recruitment and talent management of the organization.
“As a veteran, I know how talented service members are,” Mosack said. Nearly 25 percent of the ATS’s 2000 employees are veterans. “They bring a level of dedication and a can-do attitude that is hard to find in the civilian sector. They understand mission accomplishment. They have leadership skills that you can’t find elsewhere and bring with them the ability to look ahead instead of just being reactive.”