Green Energy Jobs for Returning Vets

by Alex A. Kecskes

Nearly a quarter-million veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who have returned to the U.S. can’t find work. The unemployment rate for veterans stood at over 12 percent in October 2011. For veterans in the 18-to-24 age range, that rate shot up to 30.4 percent.

In spite of these dismal stats, there may be hope for returning veterans in the renewable energy industry. Solar and wind energy jobs have seen a tenfold jump in the last decade. Companies currently hiring veterans include Tipping Point Renewable Energy, a solar power company in Columbus, Ohio. Also hiring veterans is Denver-based nonprofit Veterans Green Jobs, which has already trained or placed 370 veterans in the last four years. Then there’s Troops to Energy Jobs, a pilot program by five of the nation's largest energy providers that provides training and credentials to military veterans. Troops to Energy even includes college credit for their military training and experience.

Tipping Point's Solar by Soldiers program was partially inspired by a Vietnam War veteran. One of Tipping Point's hires left the Marines in 2009 and couldn’t find a job. Although he had plenty of experience running supply convoys to troops on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, all he could find was a minimum-wage job at McDonald's--until he landed at Tipping Point.

What’s makes these programs so appealing to veterans is that these jobs—typically in manufacturing or maintenance of wind turbines or solar arrays—draw on the skills service members learned in the military.

There seems to be a disconnect between veterans and potential employers. For example, employers don’t understand that a squad leader can be an effective entry-level manager. Or that a supply sergeant can easily segue into a civilian logistics post.

For an additional perspective, check out this video:

Got any thoughts on green jobs for returning military veterans? Feel free to share them in the comments section.