In this episode, Beau Higgins, a former Marine Corps officer and program manager for military programs at Amazon, shares his journey from military service to the civilian workforce and offers valuable insights into Veteran hiring programs. He discusses the importance of dedicated resources for hiring Veterans, emphasizing the need for companies to make a solid business case for doing so. Beau highlights the benefits of programs like SkillBridge and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which can significantly impact both Veterans and employers.

Beau also explores the challenges Veterans face when transitioning to civilian jobs, such as adapting to a different work culture and the importance of thoroughly researching companies before applying. He underscores the role of networking and having conversations to explore new career paths. Drawing from his experience building and scaling Amazon's Veteran hiring programs, including Military Pathways, Beau stresses the value of top-down support and leadership buy-in for the success of these initiatives.

Additionally, Beau touches on his current roles at Opline and Arcadia Group, as well as his side business of making custom jackets, showcasing the diverse opportunities available for Veterans in the civilian workforce. With his advice on interviewing, storytelling, and scaling Veteran hiring programs, Beau provides a roadmap for smaller companies looking to create impactful Veteran employment initiatives.

Keywords

Beau Higgins, Marine Corps, Amazon, transition, networking, Veteran hiring, Military Pathways, SkillBridge, military spouses, student Veterans

Takeaways

-Networking and having conversations with people is crucial for exploring different career paths during the transition from the military to the civilian workforce.
-Top-down support and leadership buy-in are essential for successful Veteran hiring initiatives.
-Amazon's programs, such as Military Pathways and SkillBridge, provide opportunities for Veterans to fast-track into operations roles and for military spouses and student Veterans to find suitable positions.
-Dedicated programs and initiatives that focus on hiring Veterans and military spouses help create a direct pipeline for candidates and make it easier to market job opportunities to the military community.